Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro on
Friday denied reports he plans to sell some of the city's prized
artworks to balance the budget.
However, he conceded "we might have to give something up to
safeguard the city".
Brugnaro's remarks came after Il Sole 24 Ore financial
newspaper reported official plans to auction off masterpieces
from the city's museums, including a Klimt and a Chagall, to
offset an estimated 2015 deficit of 64 million euros.
"There is no list at the moment," Brugnaro said.
Gustav Klimt's 1909 oil on canvas painting Judith II
(Salome) could fetch 70 million euros at auction.
It is currently in the collection of the Venice
International Modern Art Gallery.
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