The Prime Minister's ethical responsibility

We cannot afford to make fun of Europe because it would just mean making fun of ourselves. We wrote, before anyone else, that Italy risked becoming a State to sell. This took place, unfortunately, and the more serious thing is that there is a lack of steady buyers. Then, something else happened. We watched a worldwide show, which was undignified, with Monsieur Sarkozy and Chancellor Merkel that offended us as citizens by ridiculing our prime minister and mortified the dignity of Italy as a Country.

Neither Merkel nor Sarkozy are allowed to humiliate the people of a State that co-founded Europe and similar (serious) behaviors make us wonder about the capability of Europe of measuring up to the challenges that the global financial crisis imposes.

This is one more reason to put to an end to the obscene Italian show with a prime minister and its Government fleeing from its responsibility of deciding and constantly seeking a last compromise or a last vote to survive in Parliament. No, Mr. Prime Minister, Italy comes before everything else; the work and savings of Italians are a delicate matter that has to be handled with care. It is not enough to write a letter to Europe.

Do what your Country needs. Do it by decree; take on the political responsibility towards your ruling coalition, towards Parliament and towards your co-citizens. No one (not even you) can take on the ethical, as well as political, responsibility of making Italy slide behind Greece in the eyes of the markets. Italians would never forgive you if they had to say that Sarkozy's and Merkel's smirks, even though unacceptable, were well-founded.

(Translated by Yael Schrage)

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