Brussels, 29/12/2003 (Agence Europe) - Democratici di sinistra MEP Pasqualina Napoletano is urging the Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament's political groupings to formally express solidarity with regard to the President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi, who escaped unharmed from a parcel bomb attack at his house in Bologna on 27 December. The parcel bomb exploded causing damage but no injuries. It was concealed in a book (Gabriele d'Annunzio's 'The Pleasure') addressed to Prodi's wife Flavia. Romano Prodi said he opened the package carefully following warning received earlier in the month (two small bombs hidden in rubbish bins exploded a few feet from Mr Prodi's Bologna home on 21 December with a leaflet noting that the march on Prodi and his family was beginning, and a paving stone marked "Happy Christmas Romano Prodi" was thrown through the window of a bookshop on 24 December where the President of the Commission's book, "Europe, the dream, the choices" was displayed).
Prodi played down Saturday's incident, noting that those responsible were unlikely to have been planning to kill him, but Pasqualina Napoletano highlighted the seriousness nature of these attacks and the facility with which they were carried out. She called on the Presidents of the political groupings to make an in depth assessment the situation in Italy. We must keep our calm, it is the best weapon we have, commented Romano Prodi on Sunday, during a walk round the city with his wife. He said that his attackers belonged to an anti-political movement that rejected the structures of state. Given his position in Europe, commented Prodi, I have a special role. This was an attack on all that the new European and international networks of relations represent. Romano Prodi said that Chirac had told him off, saying he should never open anything, and that Putin had also phoned him.
The Italian authorities state that the attackers belong to a revolutionary anarchist movement. In a statement on 24 December, the Italian interior minister, Giuseppe Pisanu, said it was a highly dangerous terrorist outfit that had to be fought with the same determination as the Red Brigades and the Fighting Communist Party.