Brussels, 18/04/2008 (Agence Europe) - The Italian state cannot yet grant state aid to the Alitalia airline, Michele Cercone, spokesman for the European transport commissioner, confirmed on 18 April. He pointed out that the company had received restructuring aid in 2001 and no company can be awarded aid more than once in any ten-year period. President-elect of the Italian Council Silvio Berlusconi has spoken of possibly awarding aid of the order of €100 or €150 million to the company, which is currently making losses estimated at €1 million per day, and needs to find some breathing space to find a new buyer. The Commission spokesman said that, since no new state aid can be authorised before 2011, any financial support before that date on the part of the government would have to “respect the principle of the private investor”, i.e. aid would have to be granted under normal market conditions. (C.D.)