24/03/2006 (Agence Europe) - Alfredo Antoniozzi, Forza Italia member, says in a press release that the incident on Thursday evening as the European Council was about to open, when President Chirac left the room because UNICE president Seillière was preparing to speak in English (see related article), “must make the EU reflect on what is now an urgent need to review its own language policy”. The MEP, who is an ardent defender of the use of Italian in European institutions, adds: “President Chirac's reaction makes us think as it is the gesture of a Head of State and president of a founding country, like Italy (…). It criticises the response given by Mr Seillière who said it was appropriate to speak in English because English is the 'language of business'. The protocol on institutional meetings provides for everyone to speak in their own language and, quite honestly, I consider it is a mistake to deny this possibility and to give English an overwhelming role”. He went on to exclaim that we must stop singing the praises of “vector languages”.