Italy's Meloni tightens grip on management of national post-COVID recovery plan

(Repeats to additional subscribers)By Giuseppe FonteROME, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni plans to bring the management of Italy's post-COVID recovery plan under her direct control, government officials told Reuters on Thursday, seeking to make full use of some 200 billion euros ($214 billion) in EU funding. Its initial investment programme envisaged spending worth more than 40 billion euros by 2022 but this estimate was revised downwards on three occasions and set to below 20 billion euros in December. Meloni wants to set up within her office a dedicated unit responsible for implementing the recovery plan, according to a draft decree seen by Reuters and set to be approved at a cabinet meeting scheduled for 1630 (1530 GMT) on Thursday. The move signals Meloni's goal to bring the decision-making process for the plan into the hands of her top aides. Italy's right-wing administration plans to complete the overall negotiations with Brussels by the end of April.