14/12/2006 (Agence Europe) - European representative in Forza Italia Alfredo Antoniozzi calls upon the Italian government to raise the question of appointing officials of the European Commission at the European Council to be held on Thursday and Friday this week (see EUROPE 9316). “It would be wrong to deal with the issue privately with President Barroso as Italy must not ask any favours or concessions, although it must raise, with maximum transparency, an objective problem of representativity within the EU”, Mr Antoniozzi states in a press release, saying the criteria of meritocracy identified by the Barroso Commission are to be criticised. Such criteria were applied during the recent appointments of several directors-general and deputy directors-general. We recall that the minister for European affairs and trade (and also former European Commissioner), Emma Bonino, had also protested against the way Italian officials had been treated during the recent reshuffling of the European Commission. (mg)