VOTE ON INTERNATIONAL BIGOT BERLUSCONI AT PIRATE WEBSITE

The first article below is the url to a vote on Berlusconi:
http://users.pandora.be/wouter247/berlusconi.htm

-

Please note that 3 articles follow:

*Will this be the hope and future of the Union?
*Web pirate attacks Berlusconi
*Berlusconi embroiled in 'Nazi' insult


---


(1)

Will this be the hope and future of the Union?
http://users.pandora.be/wouter247/berlusconi.htm


----------------------------------------------
photo:
http://users.pandora.be/wouter247/images/berluskaizer.gif
----------------------------------------------


Berlusconi damages the image of the EU

*Yes *No Vote View


---


(2)

Web pirate attacks Berlusconi
Written by Lisbeth Kirk
Edited by Andrew Beatty
EU Observer
July 2, 2003
http://www.euobserver.com/index.phtml?aid=11946


----------------------------------------------
photo:
http://www.euobserver.com/index.phtml?aid=11946#
The anti-Berlusconi website was coincidentally launched at the same time as the Italian media-magnate raised a storm in the European Parliament by comparing a German MEP to a Nazi concentration camp guard (Photo: Spanish EU Presidency, EFE)
----------------------------------------------


EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The Italian premier and new head of the European Union, Silvio Berlusconi, has come under direct attack from a web-pirate.

Wouter Coppens, a 23-year old Flemish law student from Ghent in Belgium registered 'eu2003.it', what would have been the address of the Italian EU presidency one and a half years ago and has now used it as a platform to mock the Italian prime minister.

The anti-Berlusconi website was coincidentally launched at the same time as the Italian media-magnate raised a storm in the European Parliament by comparing a German MEP to a Nazi concentration camp guard.

The webpage, boasting a photo of a smiling Mr Berlusconi asks the question: "Will this be the hope and future of the Union?"

Mr Coppens told the EUobserver.com that he holds the right to the web address 'EU2003.it' and that he intends to use it for anti-Berlusconi purposes.

"I do not think Mr Berlusconi is a real democrat. I think he is already bad for Italy and will perhaps be bad for the European Union, by now becoming its president", Mr Coppens said.

The publisher of the Brussels based weekly paper the European Voice, Dennis Landsbert-Noon also claims ownership of the address. Mr Landsbert-Noon told the EUobserver that he bought the address from the student for 130 euro and has handed it on to the Italians.

However, the Italian presidency has not yet taken advantage of the gift and the address still leads to Mr Coppens' private webpage, according to the European Voice publisher.

Meanwhile the official Italian EU presidency site can be found on an alternative address at 'http://www.ueItalia2003.it'.

Website http://www.euitaly2003.it http://www.eu2003.it

http://www.euobserver.com/index.phtml?aid=11946


---


(3)

Berlusconi embroiled in 'Nazi' insult
Written by Sharon Spiteri
Edited by Honor Mahony
EU Observer
July 2, 2003
http://www.euobserver.com/index.phtml?sid=9&aid=11947


----------------------------------------------
photo:
http://www.euobserver.com/index.phtml?sid=9&aid=11947#
"It was an ironic joke", SILVIO BERLUSCONI said - but he was the only one smiling (Photo: EU Commission)
----------------------------------------------


EUOBSERVER / STRASBOURG - The new EU president Silvio Berlusconi has provided the fireworks that almost everybody predicted just two days into his term by slighting a German MEP with a Nazi slur and describing MEPs as democracy tourists.

Speaking before a packed European Parliament on Wednesday, the Italian prime minister said: "I know there is a man producing a film on the Nazi concentration camps ... I would like to suggest to you the role of Kapo (guard chosen from among the prisoners) - you'd be perfect."

The remark was directed to socialist MEP Martin Schulz who earlier on in the debate had alluded to alleged conflict of interest between the Italian prime minister and his vast media empire.

Mr Schulz also criticised Italy's track record on immigration and in particular recent comments on the issue by populist Northern League leader Umberto Bossi, who forms part of the coalition.

Pandemonium in the house

But Mr Berlusconi said that his comments were meant to be a joke; it nevertheless caused pandemonium in the house - generally more known for its sedate debates on European law.

"My joke wasn't meant to be offensive. It was an ironic joke," he explained to journalists. "But the personal attack made by this gentleman [Mr Schulz] was not ironic at all."

He also refused to retract his comments despite being asked to do so by European Parliament President Pat Cox.

"He attacked me and was offensive to me and my country," said an unrepentant Mr Berlusconi.

The Italian premier also went on to attack other euro-parliamentarians when they heckled him because of his remarks.

"Democracy allows people to do everything but stopping somebody else to speak. The behaviour was of democratic tourists rather than true democrats," he said.

For his part, Mr Schulz replied to the slur by saying:

"Let me say to him that my respect for the victims of fascism will not permit me to deal with that kind of claim at all. It is very difficult for me to believe that the [EU] president should be exercising office at all when he comes out with this sort of statement."

Leader of the socialists Enrique Barón Crespo said later: "We are talking about an institutional conflict", he added that it was an attack on fundamental values and demanded a formal apology.

Far too unpredictable

Even before he took the floor, MEPs were openly hostile to him.

Some Green MEPS held a protest at the beginning of the debate against Mr Berlusconi, holding placards saying: "Everyone is equal before the law" – referring to the recent immunity law pushed through by Mr Berlusconi which put a stop to a current corruption trial against him.

The only one who remained apparently unruffled by the exchange was Commission President Romano Prodi.

He blithely read through a prepared statement on the Italian Presidency without appearing to deviate from the text at all - and would not let himself be drawn into the political scuffle in the ensuing press conference.

Presidential programme

Before the slanging match, Mr Berlusconi gave a long outline of his plans for the presidency over the coming six months.

He mainly focussed on foreign policy and increasing Europe's profile in the Mediterranean countries.

The EU's expansion into Eastern Europe should be offset by stronger ties with the Islamic world, he said, adding that this was a key to world peace.

He suggested that Sicily be a location for an international conference on peace in the Middle East.

http://www.euobserver.com/index.phtml?sid=9&aid=11947