Telecom Italia, controlled by Spain’s Telefonica together with three Italian financial companies, is carrying out a 4-billion-euro ($5.5 billion) plan to cut debt and fund investments as it seeks to reverse years of sluggish growth.
The report said that Sawiris, who runs Orascom Telecom Media and Technology, stressed that he was not considering an unsolicited bid for TIM and that he had not held talks with either Telecom Italia or Telefonica.
The Italian government preference might stand between Sawiris and Telecom Italia
