EU vote is an attack on Berlusconi, says Italy

Italy has condemned a vote to reject European Commissioner-designate Rocco Buttiglione by the European Parliament's Civil Liberties Committee as an attack on Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and his centre-right government. Mr Buttiglione was due to take up the post of European Commissioner for Justice and Security on 1 November 2004.

European Parliament: News Report: Hearing of Rocco Buttiglione (justice, freedom and security), 5.10.04 http://europarl.europa.eu/omk/sipade2?PUBREF=-//EP//TEXT+PRESS+NR-20041005-1+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN&LEVEL=2&NAV=S

---