Brussels, 23/03/2006 (Agence Europe) - Some forty MEPs from several different countries and political groups have, in a joint statement, expressed their indignation at recent comments by Italian Minister for Relations with the European Parliament Carlo Giovanardi on Dutch euthanasia legislation. Mr Giovanardi said that “Nazi legislation and Hitler's ideas were emerging again in Europe, for example in Holland, with euthanasia and on how to kill children affected by pathologies”. The MEPs point out that the Dutch government last week summoned the Italian Ambassador to The Hague on this matter, about which Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende wants to speak to Silvio Berlusconi on the sidelines of the European Summit and on which Mr Giovanardi reiterated his comments, describing the Dutch as Mengele's equals. The MEPs denounced these statements on measures democratically adopted by an EU Member State which suffered tragically and heavily during the Nazi occupation. The statement was signed by Italian, Dutch, Belgian, French, German, British, Spanish, Portuguese, Danish, Slovenian and Latvian MEPs from the Socialist, ALDE and Greens/EFA groups.