Brussels, 04/09/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 3 September, President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso rejected criticism by the president of the Italian Council, Silvio Berlusconi, who threatened to block the European Council in its work after he had been asked for clarification regarding his immigration policy (EUROPE 9968). “Because the Commission is a very original institution, there are sometimes people that do not understand the Commission”, Mr Barroso told the press. “It not only has the right, but it also has the duty to give information to all citizens. And that is what the Commission does day in day out, through its spokespersons”, he added, stressing that he was “very proud” of the Commission and of its spokesman department, and that they had his “full confidence and support”. Mr Berlusconi had criticised a Commission spokesman who had said that a request for information had been sent to Italy on the subject of an incident concerning migrants sent back to Libya. “I am uncompromising when it comes to the defence of the prerogatives of the European institutions and of course those of the Commission”, Barroso warned, pointing out that the Commission has always ensured it communicates with member states “with loyalty”. In addition to the question of migrants being sent back to Libya, the Commission has been keeping an eye on Rome for several months, for example on the matter of filing information on the Roma population, the creation of an illegal immigration offence and the compatibility of certain Italian laws with EU law. (B.C./transl.jl)