Rome-Berlin bust-up
BERLIN/ROME The row between Italy and Germany shows no signs of abating. Following Mr. Berlusconi's suggestion that a German MEP ought to play the role of a concentration camp commandant, Chancellor Schröder has cancelled his holiday to Italy in protest at an article by a junior minister who wrote that German tourists were arrogant. The German Interior Minister, Otto Schily, has now called for the resignation of the minister in question. He said, ,,If I were the head of the Italian government, this man would no longer have his job. The Italian government would be well advised to deal with this matter (diese Sache in Ordnung zu bringen)".
Schily said that decades of work had been invested in creating deep and trusting relations between Germany and Italy, and that ,,one foolish government official"should not be allowed to jeopardise this. Unlike his boss, Chancellor Schröder, Mr. Schily said he was not thinking of changing his holiday plans. When asked if he thought the media had contributed to the row, Mr. Schily replied pointedly, ,,In Germany, there is press freedom. The media can publish what they want. Unfortunately, it is different in Italy. Today, many media are controlled by the government."
Source:
European Foundation Intelligence Digest 10th July 2003