Finally some people of the european parliament (socialists, liberals and green party) have voiced their concern about the freedom of press situation in Italy, where president Berlusconi own several TV stations and news papers and decides what is televised on the state TV stations (because he is president) giving him a 95 % coverage. Being not the most subtle person he regularly interferes with news shows and fires journalists that are critical of his behaviour (bribing, mafia contacts, prostitution in his house etc.).
In Italy mainly because he owns most of the media (and 100% of all the popular media) he has many supporters. (the other two reasons are the fact that being fraudulent and getting away with it is a positive thing in Italy and also his political opponents are not the most trustworthy people) but in Europa there is much criticismbecause we get a much less biased news coverage here. (this is actually quite extreme, many italians don't have a clue about many of Berlusconi's social/political faux pas', because it is just not mentioned in the main stream media).
Anyway, finally there were some people asking for a debate and a vote to reprimand him (not the scariest thing for a guy who buys judges) but now the vote was lost mainly because of the large christian democrat coalition in the EU parliament who as a party decided to support Berlusconi 100 %).
For me this didn't come as a surprise (people that read my comments on the lounge know that I don't trust the christian democrats much) but it still is a big dent in the credibility of the EU parliament. These are difficult times with the admittance of new members, the voting for a constitution etc.. For christian democrats in other european countries to help somebody who so clearly is above the law in his own country is a very bad sign.
( I only read this in dutch pages yet, when I find a link in english I will post it)
( http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/1...coni/index.html this is just a recent interview with Berlusconi)
And a press release http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/.../default_en.htm )
In Italy mainly because he owns most of the media (and 100% of all the popular media) he has many supporters. (the other two reasons are the fact that being fraudulent and getting away with it is a positive thing in Italy and also his political opponents are not the most trustworthy people) but in Europa there is much criticismbecause we get a much less biased news coverage here. (this is actually quite extreme, many italians don't have a clue about many of Berlusconi's social/political faux pas', because it is just not mentioned in the main stream media).
Anyway, finally there were some people asking for a debate and a vote to reprimand him (not the scariest thing for a guy who buys judges) but now the vote was lost mainly because of the large christian democrat coalition in the EU parliament who as a party decided to support Berlusconi 100 %).
For me this didn't come as a surprise (people that read my comments on the lounge know that I don't trust the christian democrats much) but it still is a big dent in the credibility of the EU parliament. These are difficult times with the admittance of new members, the voting for a constitution etc.. For christian democrats in other european countries to help somebody who so clearly is above the law in his own country is a very bad sign.
( I only read this in dutch pages yet, when I find a link in english I will post it)
( http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/1...coni/index.html this is just a recent interview with Berlusconi)
And a press release http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/.../default_en.htm )