Italy's government may accelerate the planned sale of its stake in Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS) bank and make a proposal for the operation "in the short term", the deputy prime minister said on Saturday. Antonio Tajani told reporters the state must not become a banker and said it was up to Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti to decide on how to dispose of the stake in the Tuscan lender. Earlier on Saturday, Tajani told Bloomberg News Television that a decision might be taken on the sale "in the short term".