1
   

Italy minister quits over remarks

Forums: International News
Email this Topic • Print this Page
 
 
frolic
 
Reply Fri 11 Jul, 2003 03:31 pm
An Italian Government minister has offered to resign after his outspoken remarks about German tourists prompted Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder to cancel a holiday to Italy.

Tourism Minister Stefano Stefani described Germans as hyper-nationalistic blond louts who invade Italy's beaches.

An apology from Mr Stefani is also to be published in the Saturday edition of Germany's top-selling Bild newspaper.

Mr Stefani's comments followed an incident in the European Parliament in which Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi compared a German member to a Nazi concentration camp guard.

I have just called Berlusconi to announce my resignation from the post of junior minister
Stefano Stefani

Italy's ANSA news agency said Mr Stefani announced his resignation at a meeting of his Northern League Party.

"He has expressed regret because he was only defending Italy and its prime minister," said a government spokesman.

The comments had embarrassed many in Mr Berlusconi's government, with some ministers openly distancing themselves.

In recent days, pressure has been mounting at home and from Germany on Mr Berlusconi to remove the official.


Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/europe/3060445.stm
  • Topic Stats
  • Top Replies
  • Link to this Topic
Type: Discussion • Score: 1 • Views: 2,244 • Replies: 31
No top replies

 
umjohnboy
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 Jul, 2003 06:00 pm
The controversy regarding Mr Berlusconi is getting no press attention in the US so I have to rely on the BBC for snippets of information. Is this guy a complete idiot? How much , if any,
damage has been done to Europe by having him as the head of the European Parliament?
Thank you and I apologise in advance for asking more naive questions which may follow. -rjb-
0 Replies
 
nimh
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 Jul, 2003 06:54 pm
umjohnboy,

If you look at this thread and check out the posts from July 3 onwards, you'll find a pretty lively discussion in re: to Berlusconis remarks!

Welcome to A2K, btw ;-)
0 Replies
 
roger
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 Jul, 2003 07:15 pm
He gets quite a bit of attention in The Wall Street Journal. Also The Economist, though to judge by the odd spelling it is under some sort of British influence.
0 Replies
 
nimh
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 Jul, 2003 08:06 pm
roger wrote:
Also The Economist, though to judge by the odd spelling it is under some sort of British influence.


<giggles>
0 Replies
 
ossobuco
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 Jul, 2003 11:09 pm
Comedy, comedy, but with economic results, and perhaps political ones.
0 Replies
 
Walter Hinteler
 
  1  
Reply Sat 12 Jul, 2003 12:07 am
Well, might be that some think of it as comedy.

This junior minister had as department TOURISM.


And about Berlusconi's remarks (see nimh's link) and the attention in the US press, well, it's just the president of the EU and PM of Italy.
0 Replies
 
Piffka
 
  1  
Reply Sat 12 Jul, 2003 02:09 am
Well, these last two diplomatic gaffs have certainly put the originating one on the back burner... that is, that Berlusconi was not only the richest, most powerful and most influential Italian, but also may be the most corrupt. Is anybody in the EU looking into that? The EU has to trust that their fellow states have good election policies. (One would be for a media magnate to divest himself of his holdings before running for election.)
0 Replies
 
Walter Hinteler
 
  1  
Reply Sat 12 Jul, 2003 02:29 am
"He [Berlusconi] is not a politician but a businessman in politics, very similar to the situation in America with George Bush."

from:Berlusconi loses ground over public gaffes and laws that protect his business interests

National states in Europe have still their national (especially election) laws.
This doesn't confront any EU-laws - so far.

But might well be, someone will find a reason to go to a European court.
A better idea would be, IMHO, he would be "handled" like it was done with Jörg Haider from Austria.
0 Replies
 
Piffka
 
  1  
Reply Sat 12 Jul, 2003 11:03 am
But Haider didn't lose all his political power when he resigned. He's seems like he's still a snake in the grass, ready to strike. Doesn't he still control one of the provinces of Austria?

OR do you mean "handled" by having Italy be "frozen out" by other countries, so that Berlusconi is forced to resign? How could that happen with Berlusconi while he is president of the EU? I don't understand.

The problem is what seems like a growing nationalistic fervor in Europe. People are judged by their country, by the reputation of their country, not by what they do. Of course, I assume Italian politics is in a state of near total corruption, so I'm just as bad as anyone!
0 Replies
 
Walter Hinteler
 
  1  
Reply Sat 12 Jul, 2003 11:41 am
We get Americanised, that's it.

Actually I have no practicable other practicable idea about Berluscone than to hope for the vote of the Italians.

The EU-presidency isn't related to a person but to the government (resp. leader of that) of a country, routating every six months.
0 Replies
 
Piffka
 
  1  
Reply Sat 12 Jul, 2003 11:58 am
Walter Hinteler wrote:
We get Americanised, that's it.


OUCH!
0 Replies
 
ossobuco
 
  1  
Reply Sat 12 Jul, 2003 12:47 pm
I meant comedy more in the sense of folly, Walter, than taking this all as a joke.

I do think of Berlusconi much the way I think of Bush.

I too hope the italian people vote Berlusconi out. In one of his previous governmental incarnations, they marched wearing Pinocchio masks, with the long noses an implication about his lack of truthtelling.

I think there were movements to make Berlusconi divest, but I forget the particulars.
0 Replies
 
Walter Hinteler
 
  1  
Reply Sat 12 Jul, 2003 01:04 pm
ossobuco wrote:

I think there were movements to make Berlusconi divest, but I forget the particulars.


Milano prosecutors and judges tried ... but the new laws came.

I can't remember that there really have been attempts to make Berlusconi divest - the opposition parties said on the opposite, to support him during his EU-presidency (more ' as such'/ showing a 'strong Italian leadership'). But that was before his last mediocre showing .
0 Replies
 
ossobuco
 
  1  
Reply Sat 12 Jul, 2003 01:47 pm
I might be remembering about the Milano prosecutors.
0 Replies
 
cicerone imposter
 
  1  
Reply Sat 12 Jul, 2003 01:50 pm
ujb, WELCOME to A2K. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but....... c.i.
0 Replies
 
Walter Hinteler
 
  1  
Reply Sat 12 Jul, 2003 02:23 pm
<deleted>
0 Replies
 
umjohnboy
 
  1  
Reply Sun 13 Jul, 2003 11:31 am
I heard on National Public Radio (NPR) a few days back that something like 40% of Italy's summer tourism revenue comes from Germans. Chancellor Schroeder has cancelled his holiday in Italy.
I'm wondering whether the average German shares the outrage expressed by the pundits and pontificates.
(ci's comment was too obtuse for me on this thread or any other I have been on in my brief existance)
0 Replies
 
Walter Hinteler
 
  1  
Reply Sun 13 Jul, 2003 11:59 am
Yes.

Howver, I don't think that most of us will cancell our Italian holidays (even, if there hadn't been the multiple excuses - from the Italian president Ciampi to various tourist boards).
0 Replies
 
ossobuco
 
  1  
Reply Sun 13 Jul, 2003 01:55 pm
a couple of New York Times articles on the subject -

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/13/opinion/13SUN2.html?tntemail1

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/13/opinion/13PAZZ.html?tntemail1
0 Replies
 
 

Related Topics

The "naked revolution" at Belarus' workplaces - Discussion by Walter Hinteler
Russian FSB describes its Tsarnaev letter to FBI - Discussion by gungasnake
Who Really Cares About the Palestinians? - Discussion by Advocate
Accomplices in Destroying UN Member - Discussion by Advocate
Israel Court Rejects Delay In Settlement Evacuation - Discussion by BumbleBeeBoogie
Germany's President Resigns in Scandal - Discussion by Pamela Rosa
6-year-olds working in gold mines in Mali, says Human Rights Watch. Would Newt Gingrich approve? - Discussion by BumbleBeeBoogie
Palestinian Solidarity Campaign disrupts Israeli Concert. Yeah!!! - Discussion by izzythepush
Tunesia, Egyt and now Yemen: a domino effect in the Middle East? - Discussion by Walter Hinteler
"The assault on the 'Mavi Marmara' was wrong, and a gift to Israel's enemies" - Discussion by Robert Gentel
Outrage as gay pair get 14 years' hard labour - Discussion by tsarstepan
 
  1. Forums
  2. » Italy minister quits over remarks
Copyright © 2024 MadLab, LLC :: Terms of Service :: Privacy Policy :: Page generated in 0.04 seconds on 05/23/2024 at 06:38:12
▲ ▼