Brussels, 24/06/2011 (Agence Europe) - Silvio Berlusconi, President of the Italian Council, held a long press conference after the summit of heads of state and government on 24 June in Brussels. He made an overview of the decisions taken and subjects tackled.
On the subject of Mario Draghi's appointment at the head of the European Central Bank, Berlusconi spoke of Draghi's personal success but also of the success of Italy and of its government, underlining, he said, “the role that Italy plays within the Council of the heads of state and government”. He confirmed the withdrawal of Lorenzo Bini Smaghi from his post at the ECB executive committee, a decision that Smaghi had notified shortly before the summit to President Van Rompuy, to Silvio Berlusconi himself and to President Sarkozy, who was reticent about having two people from one and the same country within the same body. He nonetheless wished to clarify whether Bini Smaghi would replace Draghi as governor of the Bank of Italy, simply indicating that his name could appear in the circle of potential candidates (the others being Saccomanni, Grilli and, possibly, Visco). The Italian prime minister confirmed the strong commitment of European leaders in parallel with austerity policies, to implement job-generating policies, especially through “clear choices” in favour of SMEs (regimes facilitated and lightened bureaucratic procedures). Italy has “already done a great deal and will do a great deal more”, he said.
On the subject of Greece, Berlusconi confirmed the trust that European leaders put in Greek reform plans and guaranteed the unanimous resolve to ensure the eurozone's financial stability by procuring maximum assistance for this country. A mandate was given to the Ecofin Council of 23 July to assess developments in the crisis, he said, confirming the pressure exerted by the other conservative leaders on the leader of the Greek opposition party, Samaras, during the EPP summit, so that he places the national interest above party squabbles. The plan of the Greek prime minister challenged by Samaras is above all a plan imposed by the IMF and the EU to achieve reforms that are certainly very painful, but necessary, said Berlusconi. Can the economic situation also degenerate in Italy? In response to such a question, Berlusconi sought to be reassuring, saying that Italy is not Greece and that, even though the public debt is high in Italy, the Italian private financial and banking sector is sound, with a high rate of private savings, a high rate of householder ownership of housing, a trade balance that is largely in surplus and reforms well underway, especially with regard to pensions.
On the subject of immigration, Berlusconi underlined the commitment shown by European leaders, included in the conclusions at Italy's request, to strengthen the powers of Frontex and entrust Frontex with the task of concluding agreements with all countries of the southern Mediterranean rim. Europe must provide assistance to tens of thousands of persons who have fled the fighting in Libya to the borders with Egypt and Tunisia. Complying with his common request with the French president, the European Council decided to amend the Schengen Treaty to make it more effective and closer to the needs of citizens, by strengthening free movement within the Schengen area. He spoke of the problems of surveillance at external Schengen borders and of the new Schengen member countries, whose citizens might want to move to countries such as France, Italy, or others. (F.G./transl.jl)