Schroeder seeks apology from Berlusconi

The Times of India ^ | July 03 2003 | Associated Press

[knighthawk]

BERLIN: Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on Thursday demanded an apology from Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi for saying a German member of the European parliament would make a good Nazi concentration camp guard in a movie.

Schroeder raised the ante on the diplomatic crisis, calling Berlusconi's comparison "is a misstep in both content and form, and completely unacceptable."

"I expect the Italian premier to formally apologize for this unacceptable comparison," Schroeder told parliament before giving an economic policy speech. Many lawmakers applauded, though some conservatives did not.

Berlusconi showed no sign of apologizing, accusing Italy's left of inspiring the personal criticism of Berlusconi that prompted his outburst.

"It was adequately prepared by the opposition," Berlusconi said Thursday in Rome on the fringes of a business forum.

He didn't elaborate, but Berlusconi has blamed the center-left opposition for having inspired a host of negative criticism across Europe about his legal woes and conflicts of interest in the days leading up to Italy's assumption of the European Union six-month presidency Tuesday.

Italian news reports, however, also quoted Berlusconi as saying he planned to speak to Schroeder by telephone Thursday afternoon. A German government spokesman, speaking on customary condition of anonymity, later said the talk was put off until 6-7 p.m. (1600-1700 GMT) because of scheduling conflicts.

Berlusconi's jibe at a German member of the European Parliament during his inaugural appearance in the chamber Wednesday infuriated the German government. Berlin and Rome immediately traded diplomatic protests, with Schroeder's office calling in the Italian ambassador and the Foreign Ministry in Rome summoning the German envoy.

The parliamentarian, Martin Schulz, a Social Democrat like Schroeder, referred during a question-and-answer session to the Italian leader's use of an immunity law to sidestep bribery charges in an Italian court.

"Mr. Schulz, I know there is a producer in Italy who is making a film on the Nazi concentration camps. I will suggest you for the role of kapo," Berlusconi snapped back. "You'd be perfect."

The German word "kapo" usually means a concentration camp guard drawn from the ranks of the prisoners.

German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer echoed Schroeder's call for an apology "in the interest of German-Italian relations," but indicated he did not expect the spat to linger.

"Wherever there are humans, you have mistakes, sometimes even bad mistakes," Fischer said in parliament. "You can rectify that with an honest word, by apologizing."

The uproar in the European Parliament was front-page news Thursday in Italy and Germany, where commentators across the political spectrum condemned Berlusconi and questioned his fitness to speak for Europe.

"Berlusconi's reaction is evidence of his troubled understanding of democracy, which so far has been bemoaned mainly by Italy's opposition," the conservative daily Die Welt said Thursday. "This man is supposed to represent the EU?"

Frankfurter Rundschau, a left-leaning daily, focused on Berlusconi's temper.

"How will Berlusconi react when he really faces stress? In an international crisis, for instance?" the paper said.

Italian commentators lamented that Italy couldn't have gotten off to a worse start for its EU presidency and that the country, already under a critical eye because of Berlusconi's problems, had managed to slip even further in its international standing.

The Milan daily Corriere della Sera said the gaffe showed Berlusconi's "amateurism" as a politician.

"What was feared actually occurred," Corriere said in a front-page editorial. "The European semester couldn't have started worse."

The conservative daily Il Foglio backed the premier, headlining its main editorial "Premeditated Agression: A Just Reply."

"The premier did well to give the title of kapo to Mr. Schulz, a socialist deputy who treated him like a classroom delinquent," wrote commentator Giuliano Ferrara, a frequent Berlusconi defender.

Schulz stood his ground in an interview Thursday in the Italian daily La Stampa, rejecting Berlusconi's explanation that he was being ironic.

[knighthawk]

By the way, what the media is not telling us, is that before the comment, Berlusconi was grilled for 3 hours, mostly by Schultz, calling Berlusconi a racist and xenofobic, and also accusing Berlusconi of strong ties to the mafia.

[knighthawk]

Europe-list

If people want on or off this list, please let me know.

[cajungirl]

Yep, I saw they didn't mention the remark about there being no room for "godfathers" in the EU,,I do believe the German Kapo said that. Now the press conveniently isn't making a deal over that which to me was a worse insult as it implied the Italian was mafia. All B said was the guy could play a guard of a concentration camp in a movie,,that is one degree removed from what the german said.

[wideawake]

Berlusconi should tell Schroeder to find a sixth wife and leave him alone.

[rrrod]

italy has stood by us and has made some very pro us staements regarding our liberation of their country in wwll. on the other hand germany in recent yrs has been stabbing us in the back.. including their public polls showing a vast majority think the US got what it deserved on 9-11!... sooooooooooo to germany i say ..may you rot in hell!

[MJY1288]

ROFLMAO, That would be perfect

[ClearCase_guy]

"Vee haff alienated der United Schtates adequately. However, vee need to alienate de Italians a leetle more. I am preparrrring anozzer speech in which I shall taunt him a second time."

[KellyAdmirer]

This all begs the question: if a German isn't appropriate to play a concentration camp guard in movie, then who the heck else is?

And Schroeder, it was not a "comparison." Sheesh, don't try to hide from your own heritage, we know who the original Nazis were, you "peaceful Germans" are not fooling us with your liberal schtick.

[Ben Bolt]

Is it me or is the EU trying a full court press on this man seemingly every week ?

[Zeppo]

Seems to me that Schroeder had no problem with calling Jörg Haider a Nazi, even though that was far from the truth. I don't recall Schroeder apologizing for that. If it's a good enough epithet for Mr. Shcroeder to toss around, why isn't it OK for Berlusconi to do the same?

[Seeking the truth]

It's not you, Ben!

If they are against him, he must be good.

[Bahbah]

Berlusconi has nothing to apologize for.

[Cowboy Bob]

I can't understand why Schroeder, et al, are getting so upset. They are, after all, the modern day Nazi Party. The Nazis were, the National SOCIALIST Party. Schroeder and his ilk are SOCIALISTS!

The Nazi's have always been portrayed at "evil Conservatives." The fact is the Nazi's were "evil Liberals!" The Nazis were anti-capitalist, nationalizing all the businesses in the country. They created the volkswagon, i.e. the "people's car."

The more I think about it, the Nazi party sounds a lot like the Democratic party here in the US!

[gcruse]

regarding our liberation of [Italy] in wwll...

Interesting.  Did we liberate Italy or defeat them?
I don't recall liberating the other members of the Axis.

[Cicero]

The basic reason they're going after Berlusconi, aside from Anti-Americanism, is that most European countries are balanced between the conservatives and the Socialists. The Socialists rule by forming coalition governments with the center parties. They need to ensure they can continue to rule by demonizing the conservatives, so the center parties won't suddenly switch over and form coalitions with them instead. They figure the moderates won't dare associate with those who are publicly identified as Nazis, racists, or mafiosi.

That was what was behind the huge attack on Haider a couple of years ago. European socialists were afraid that Austria might be the first of many center-right coalitions, which would remove them from power.

[MEGoody]

Maybe Schroeder should apologize to Bush first.

[stck]

Berlusconi has already apologized to Schroeder on the phone...

Just for the record:
Il Foglio is controlled by Berlusconi's wife.

That's why this man is so dangerous for Italian democracy: he knows no boundary between personal and national interests. Reportedly he gave the news outlets he controls (90% of Italian media) the instruction to downplay the íncident - which became impossible apparently (they don't need instructions to back him).

From what I could tell from scanning the European press is that Berlusconi was criticized throughout Europe, no matter what country, no matter if liberal or conservative: Zurcher Tagesanzeiger, Basler Zeitung (Switzerland), Liberation (France), Times, Financial Times (Great Britain), FAZ, Nunberger Nachrichten, tz, Hamburger Abendblatt, Hamburger Morgenpost, Spiegel (Germany), Der Standard (Austria), Algemeen Dagblad (Netherlands), La Repubblica, Corriere della Sera (independent Italian), just to name a few.

Even members of his own coalition (Gianfranco Fini - neofascists, Marco Follini - Christian Democrats) expressed frustration over Berlusconi's blunder.

Ironically, one of the few defending Berlusconi was Germany's Fischer, who tried to downplay the significance of the affair.

[ijcr]

When the German minister for Justice Herta Däubler-Gmelin
compared President Bush to Hitler where was the German President and its press?

[Citizen of the Savage Nation]

But do you admit the whole thing was started by non-stop attacks from the center-left, who also are guilty of the same type of characterizations to Bush and Haider, Fortuyn, or anyone else they didn't like?

Personally, I detest Haider, but they DID do much worse to him, sans apology.

[McGavin999]

"How will Berlusconi react when he really faces stress? In an international crisis, for instance?" the paper said.

By not turning tail like the German leader did?

Frankly, I think the guy's perfect. Maybe he can inject some much needed testosterone into the over feminized euros.