Govt sells 107 state cars on eBay

(ANSA) - Rome, March 27 - The government has sold 107 of its so-called 'blue cars', or chauffered state cars, on eBay for almost 900,000 euros, the premier's office said on its website Friday.
    The government put a total of 151 cars on the block since opening its eBay account. The money will go to a deficit-reduction fund.
    The latest auction saw 25 defense ministry blue cars go for some 155,000 euros in an auction that opened February 26 and ended March 19.
    The winning bids came from throughout Italy as well as Australia and Germany. Premier Matteo Renzi last year announced the plan to cut the fleet of siren-blaring 'blue cars' which regularly irk motorists and pedestrians around Italy.
    The sleek cars have become an embodiment of what voters see as the undeserved privileges of government officials and public-sector managers.
    Successive governments have vowed to shrink the fleets, but the first real drive began in late 2012 amid widespread voter disenchantment.