Europe Tiff: What's Next? Food Fight? - NYT

[goforit]

"Europe Tiff: What's Next? Food Fight?"
By RICHARD BERNSTEIN

<http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/10/international/europe/10GERM.html>

BERLIN, July 9 — No sooner did Italy and Germany extricate themselves from the diplomatic imbroglio of last week than they got into another one today, with Chancellor Gerhard Schröder reacting to an Italian official's insulting remarks about German tourists by imposing an unusual sanction: he canceled his vacation in Italy.

Mr. Schröder seemed to be bowing to German public opinion, aroused this time by some inexplicably tactless comments by an Italian under secretary responsible for tourism, Stefano Stefani, who characterized the eight million German tourists who visit each year as beer-swilling, chauvinistic boors who, come summer, "invaded the beaches of Italy."

SNIP

Apparently angry over the argument last week over comments by Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian prime minister, that likened a German deputy in the European Parliament to a functionary in a Nazi concentration camp, Mr. Stefani called Germany a "country intoxicated with arrogant certainties." While they like to vacation in Italy, he said, the Germans also like to deal in anti-Italian stereotypes.

The newspaper Bild, Mr. Stefani continued, referring to Bild Zeitung, Germany's largest mass-circulation tabloid, "doesn't forget to lie about the number of car thefts in Rimini, or even the last statistics from Mafia killings in Sicily."

(con't).............

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Some how Mr. Berulsconi just doesn't get it as further
described by Palmiro Ucchielli, Pesaro Province President.
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SNIPS:
"One effect of the commotion today could directly affect the Italian economy. German tourists last year accounted for 40 percent of all visitors to Italy and spent about $10 billion, according to The Financial Times.

Reflecting the loss of revenue if Germans stopped going to Italy, Palmiro Ucchielli, president of Pesaro Province on the Adriatic, where Mr. Schröder was supposed to take his vacation, demanded financial damages from Mr. Berlusconi because of the chancellor's cancellation." -NYT

[It was not a pretzel]

1. He's right about Bild

That's a stinking right-wing rag, worse than the UK's "The Sun" by some stretch.

It's a shame Schröder's cancelled his holiday. I've been to Italy many times and always loved it, and I wouldn't cancel my holiday over the comments of facsist criminals :(

[goforit]

2. Well.....He had to stand up for the people of his country!!!

You just can't allow jackasses like the Berlusconi to
put his foot in his mouth and get away with it.

Schoeder doesn't need to spend his buck economically
supporting immature jerks like that.

Thats what the elected Dems in our country have been doing and
where are we now?- It is time we take these babbling baffoons on.
Economically or verbally!!!

[ze_dscherman]

3. Slightly different opinion

I agree on Bild - it's mostly right-wing BS.

But to me it's o.K. to give Italy a strong signal.

A leading politician offending other countries may happen, but then it's necessary to apologize. Berlusconi did not do that, but instead made an ass of Schröder by saying "No, I did not apologize" after Schröder had stated he had accepted an apology.

Nest comes a row of insults by a junior Italian politician from a right-wing-next-to-fascist party. No apology again, and this guy remains in office although he is responsible for tourism!

So, Schröders decision is o.K. to me, since he is a political person.
Personally, I would not cancel a trip to Italy - and anyhow, a majority of Italians certainly disagrees with these two fascist disgraziati. Lets hope the Italians will put adults in charge next time.

[Kellanved]

4. I share that opinion

And the article plays down Stefani's words. Those were a little harsher than the translation.

[Nottingham]

5. Ok Nationalism & Imperialism Lives

:bounce: Grow Up guys!