ROME, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Italy expects to be a central

part of Stellantis' ( STLA ) future strategy and wants the

Fiat automaker to safeguard the factories on its territory,

Industry Minister Adolfo Urso said on Saturday.

"There must be an assertive Italy plan within Stellantis' ( STLA )

industrial plan that protects national factories," Urso told an

event in Rome ahead of a key meeting on the Italian automotive

industry on Dec. 17, also involving trade unions.

After the

abrupt resignation

of Carlos Tavares as CEO earlier this month, Rome hopes to

fix its strained relations with the carmaker, whose brands also

include Alfa Romeo.

Italian politicians repeatedly accused Tavares of

neglecting historic manufacturing sites and moving production

abroad.

"There's no more Tavares, he didn't understand the

reality," Urso told an event of his Brothers of Italy party.

He said they understood that things had changed when

Stellantis ( STLA ) Chairman John Elkann called Prime Minister Giorgia

Meloni to inform her of the CEO's departure.

Urso said the government wanted Stellantis ( STLA ) to pledge

"significant financial resources" to ensure Italy kept a

competitive auto industry.

Giuseppe Manca, the head of human resources and industrial

relations for Stellantis ( STLA ) in Italy, joined Urso on the panel

dedicated to the auto sector and said he hoped "good news" could

come out of the meeting planned for Tuesday.