06/06/2006 (Agence Europe) - In Lettera Diplomatica of 22 May, published in Rome by Circolo di Studi Diplomatici, the former EU Permanent Representative for Italy, Piero Calamia, speaks of Italy's “European political moment and the role of Italy”, saying that, more than ever before, Europe now needs political leaders that believe in its future. Encouraged by the fact that Italian President Giorgio Napolitano has restated his European conviction (also visiting Ventotene as a tribute to Altiero Spinelli: see EUROPE 9197), Ambassador Calamia states that, in the current “specific situation of Europe” there is a greater possibility for Italy to play a political role in Europe. Regarding projects recommended by the European Commission, Mr Calamia sets out one idea - that of consolidating the use of single currency not only as a shield against inflation and monetary turbulence but also as an instrument for carrying and creating productive investment (he recalled that Jacques Delors' White Paper of 1993 foresaw measures of a social kind as well as investment of €20 billion per year, over twenty years, for infrastructure programmes).