UPDATE 3-Berlusconi threatens to re-nationalise Alitalia

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By Deepa Babington and Giselda Vagnoni

ROME, April 29 (Reuters) - Italian prime minister-elect Silvio Berlusconi threatened on Tuesday to re-nationalise Alitalia if the European Commission continued to "whine" about a government loan to keep the ailing airline afloat.

But opposition leader Walter Veltroni attacked the idea as reminiscent of moves by Russia's President Vladimir Putin and even Berlusconi's close allies were sceptical that such a move -- after years of trying to privatise Alitalia -- was feasible.

Emboldened by an overwhelming victory in national and city elections this month, Berlusconi has hit back at the European Commission for doubting the $467 million government loan fell within European rules barring further state aid to the airline.

The tycoon said a bid by a group of Italian businessmen remained the first choice for salvaging the carrier, but that EU trouble could prompt the state, via its railway, to buy the 50.1 percent of Alitalia (AZPIa.MI: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) that it does not own.

"If they continue whining, we could take a decision in which Alitalia could be bought by the state -- by the state railway," Berlusconi said. "It's a threat, not a decision."

Italy's national railway, Ferrovie dello Stato, is being held up as a turnaround success story after cutting 2007 losses by 80 percent and reporting a sharp rise in revenue last week.