"La seule bonne nouvelle de

"La seule bonne nouvelle de cette affaire est qu'elle rappelle une
nouvelle fois aux Etats membres que, dans l'Union européenne, il n'y a
plus d'affaires purement intérieures. Cela, Prodi l'avait manifestement
oublié."

 

A more candid comment would have been, "By membership in the European Union, the Italian nation, like the other member nations, no longer exists. Nations that cannot control their borders, their economic policy-making, and their foreign policy no longer exist. Cavour, Garibaldi, the Risorgimento have all been negated. Italy might as well have remained a collection of Habsburg, Bourbon, and Papal provinces."
 

Guit by Association with Gypsies

" There cannot be guilt by association. "

Yes, although Laitenberger was only making a statement against the idea of sending Gypsies back to Romania. He said the EU would only accept the expulsion of individuals who broke Italian law.

Romano Prodi is now being accused of ethnic discrimination even though he is probably responsible for the current immigration explosion in Italy. It reminds me of the French situation where Sarkozy was depicted by the media as an anti-immigration fascist. That reputation helped him get elected. Unfortunately, I don't think he wants to stop immigration at all.