Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles Phillips
Hmmm, it is easy to deride this comment because it is ascribed to Berlusconi. However, it does not seem to me to be the opinion of a madman. (Prepared for flak from all quarters!)
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And richly deserved it will be as well, Charles...
Of course, the significance in that quote isn't in the words, it is in
the situation that he is creating.
With the retirement from office of Frattini, there was a vacant job in the EU which had to be filled. With the only discussion from Italy being the suggestions that either Buttiglione should be once again offered the job for which he had been declined by the EU in 2004, or the rather more extreme Tajani, it was decided to give the job to the French commissioner, Jacques Barrot - who had been doing the job very sucessfully since Frattini resigned.
The job of "Justice & Home Affairs" commissioner includes not only the remit of law and order across the EU, but also human rights and immigration issues. Given the rather extreme political views by the winning political parties in Italy since the election, it was felt that the time was wrong to offer Italy the portfolio as it would only lead to argument and discord amongst rest of the EU member states.
Unless, that is, you believe that all
foreigners be thrown back to the country they come from and all homosexuals and followers of other religions be flayed and burned, of course...
