Berlusconi says he used "playboy skills" in contest with Finland over Food Authority
Italian Prime Minister disparages Finnish food at Parma opening
Silvio Berlusconi
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Tarja Halonen
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Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said on Tuesday that he used his acting abilities and "playboy" charm on Finnish President Tarja Halonen in Italy’s bid to be chosen as the home base of the European Food Authority.
Speaking at the opening of the European Food Authority in Parma, Berlusconi said that he had to "play the role of a courtier" to the Finnish President at a time when Finland was also bidding for the institution.
"In seeking a decision, it is necessary to use all possible weapons. For that reason, I honed up my playboy skills from the distant past to appeal to the President", Berlusconi said, on Tuesday.
The loss of the Food Authority was a bitter blow to Finland, as all other EU countries except Italy would have been willing to let Finland have it.
After two years of arguing, Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) gave in on the condition that Finland would get the EU Chemical Authority. The Chemical Authority has been delayed, as EU legislation on the matter remains open.
One of Berlusconi’s arguments against having the Food Authority in Finland was his contention that Finns do not even know what prosciutto ham is. When the dispute was over, one Finnish politician sent Berlusconi a card with a picture of a pig on it.
As if to add salt to the wounds, Berlusconi also expressed the hope that European Commission President José Manuel Barroso might prefer prosciutto to Finnish smoked reindeer or fish.
"I have been to Finland and I have had to endure Finnish food, so I am certainly competent to make comparisons", Berlusconi said.
"Today Barroso can taste our culatello (local ham) instead of Finnish smoked herring."
Apparently Barroso did not say if he liked prosciutto more than Finnish reindeer. Barroso’s spokesman was unable to clarify the matter.
"I know Barroso quite well, but I really cannot say which he prefers", Leonor Riberio da Silva said.
The location of the Food Authority was also an issue in Finnish domestic politics. Before the last Parliamentary elections, Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen (SDP) said that Berlusconi had agreed to having the food authority in Finland. When asked later, Berlusconi denied that there had been any such agreement.
Speaking at the opening of the European Food Authority in Parma, Berlusconi said that he had to "play the role of a courtier" to the Finnish President at a time when Finland was also bidding for the institution.
"In seeking a decision, it is necessary to use all possible weapons. For that reason, I honed up my playboy skills from the distant past to appeal to the President", Berlusconi said, on Tuesday.
The loss of the Food Authority was a bitter blow to Finland, as all other EU countries except Italy would have been willing to let Finland have it.
After two years of arguing, Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) gave in on the condition that Finland would get the EU Chemical Authority. The Chemical Authority has been delayed, as EU legislation on the matter remains open.
One of Berlusconi’s arguments against having the Food Authority in Finland was his contention that Finns do not even know what prosciutto ham is. When the dispute was over, one Finnish politician sent Berlusconi a card with a picture of a pig on it.
As if to add salt to the wounds, Berlusconi also expressed the hope that European Commission President José Manuel Barroso might prefer prosciutto to Finnish smoked reindeer or fish.
"I have been to Finland and I have had to endure Finnish food, so I am certainly competent to make comparisons", Berlusconi said.
"Today Barroso can taste our culatello (local ham) instead of Finnish smoked herring."
Apparently Barroso did not say if he liked prosciutto more than Finnish reindeer. Barroso’s spokesman was unable to clarify the matter.
"I know Barroso quite well, but I really cannot say which he prefers", Leonor Riberio da Silva said.
The location of the Food Authority was also an issue in Finnish domestic politics. Before the last Parliamentary elections, Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen (SDP) said that Berlusconi had agreed to having the food authority in Finland. When asked later, Berlusconi denied that there had been any such agreement.
Helsingin Sanomat