Renzi says 'close to a solution' on AST

(ANSA) - Rome, November 21 - Premier Matteo Renzi said Friday that the government is "very close to a solution" for the troubled AST steel plant in the Umbrian city of Terni that is threatened with closure. Workers there have been on strike for weeks hoping to convince the German-owned company to change its plan to cut up to 550 jobs there. Renzi said that if "responsibility prevails", an agreement on saving the plant can be achieved. AST CEO Lucia Morselli said Thursday that the company's steel plant won't be dismantled.