Italy may not face sanctions threat

By Batuk Gathani

BRUSSELS, MAY 15. The European Union governments have reacted cautiously to the Italian election results and the Foreign Ministers refrained from commenting on the advent of the 59th post-war government, headed by Italy's richest man and media tycoon, Mr. Silvio Berlusconi.

The silver-lining on the political scene there is that Mr. Berlusconi will command a healthy majority backed by solid centre-right majority in Parliament. The government will be subjected to less dependence on Mr. Berlusconi's xenophobic ally and former northern separatists, Mr. Umbretto Bossi. Seven years ago, Mr. Bossi and his neo-fascist party pulled the rug under Mr. Berlusconi's seven-month government and triggered his downfall. Such a possibility is now rated as remote.

Mr. Romano Prodi, President of the European Commission and himself a former prime minister of Italy, said Mr. Berlusconi's government would be ``fully legitimate''. The German Chancellor, Mr. Gerhard Schroeder, said he `respected' the Italians' choice and hoped the Government would maintain the country's pro- European stance. The Swedish Prime Minister, Mr. Goran Persson, whose country holds the six-monthly rotating presidency of the E.U., said Sweden would not take the initiative to isolate Italy with diplomatic sanctions - like those imposed on Austria when the Austrian government invited the far-right xenophobic Austrian Freedom Party led by the controversial Mr. Joerg Haider into coalition.

Mr. Haider said the E.U. had ``burnt its fingers'' over the sanctions. The sanctions against Austria were criticised by other E.U. member-states and eventually dropped in an embarrassing diplomatic u-turn.

According to the E.U. policy on diplomatic sanctions on a fellow E.U. country, such a decision would require the support of four fifths of the European Council of Ministers and the assent of the European Parliament, to decide if any member- state poses a clear danger or serious violation to principles of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law. This is stated in the `Nice treaty' which is yet to be ratified by the member-states. According to observers, this process may be finalised before the end of 2002.

The new government will embark on a programme of reduction of taxation, government bureaucracy and insist on more transparency and accountability in a society inflicted by sleeze. Mr. Berlusconi is expected to face much ``bureaucratic inertia'' as the notoriously over-staffed civil service will oppose all job- killing reforms.

The government would have implications for the rest of Europe and would rank among the four European centre- right governments, with a new message for deregulation and deep tax cuts.

At the best of times, politics in Italy have never been smooth and the naturally sceptical Italians have never taken their politicians seriously. In 1990s, a series of scandals involving the mafia or organised crime connections with senior politicians had suggested that corruption in the Italian public life is almost a way of life. `The Northern League' - a rightwing party in the prosperous north Italy, threatened tax revolt and even secession of the prosperous northern part from the poorer southern region.

The reality is that despite overt and embarrassing corruption, most Italians are beneficiaries of the post-war economic miracle, which has provided a good standard of living and most Italians have been at peace with themselves.

Italy is often described as an odd country and is much more peculiar than it appears. At one time, the Italian industrialists were seriously worried about the challenge posed by the European single market and Italy's return to short-lived governments.

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Section  : International
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