Discovering the unknown Romano Prodi (chapter three). Towards the end of last year, we had the opportunity on two occasions to deal with the less well-known side of the President of the European Commission. The first time regarding the speech in Strasbourg, where he expressed a European conviction and determination hitherto unknown (see this section in EUROPE of 12 October 2000), the second, when he opened up his heart regarding the first "horrible year" in Brussels (see this section in EUROPE of 14 November 2000). Now comes a wide-ranging interview, in flight, in his mother-tongue, with a journalist he has known for a long time, that shows one side of his character that was, it seems, already known in Italy but that he had not shown much in his European role: open, caustic at times, a little begrudging (Alitalia affair). Let's let him talk.
The United States and the Balkans. Do the Americans want to pull out of the Balkans? "This was explicitly stated by two of Bush's important collaborators. We shall see what happens. If (I stress if) that should be Washington's choice, we Europeans must be ready to assume the responsibility of the future of the Balkans alone."
Euro and gossip. "Structurally, the European Central Bank is working well, more than well. The construction is working. Everything is working, but the gossip."
Nice's reform on the method of voting in Council. "This system is a step back. There's no need to pretend to us. It's more complex than before."
Governments and European Institutions. "History avenging itself. The Commission and Parliament may still be far from the heart of Europeans. But when the house is burning, governments come rushing to them: the mad cow, the sinking oil tanker, paralysed airports In the world in which we live, States cannot attain their objectives without Europe. I'm thinking of those countries which were pro-European in the hour of need, and as soon as they attain a certain degree of development, say to themselves: who has taken has taken, who has given has given."
The British and tax. "I told Toby Blair to watch out for the Danish trap: if one always slags Europe, and then go ask citizens to say "yes", you risk losing. He claims that the English will be able to change their minds, if necessary. We'll see. On tax, I wrote an article in the Financial Times proving that majority voting was necessary for some tax harmonisation which the English economy needs. Nobody responded to me."
Germany and nationalism. "In Nice, Chancellor Schroeder was less nationalist than others."
The Commission and Alitalia. "When I was still in Italy (note: he was Prime Minister), I defended Alitalia, unfairly accused by the European Commission. Now, the Court of Justice has said it was right (in fact, the Court of First Instance, see our bulletin of 15 December 2000), but the company suffered very serious injury."
(Interview published in "La Repubblica" of 14 December 2000).