By Brian Johnson - 28th July 2005
The euro is a “rip-off and membership of the European single currency has been a “disaster” for Italy, Silvio Berlusconi has said.
Berlusconi launched a vitriolic Thursday attack on the euro and on his political arch-rival, Romano Prodi.
“Prodi’s euro screwed everybody” said Berlusconi, laying the blame for the country’s current economic woes at the feet of the former European Commission president.
Berlusconi has regularly attacked Prodi, now the leader of Italy’s centre-left opposition, claiming that he was responsible for the poor exchange rate terms Rome received upon entering the eurozone.
But Berlusconi’s latest bout of euro bashing follows demands from the Lega Nord party, a coalition partner in Berlusconi’s right wing government, for a return to the lira.
Most economists however have dismissed Berlusconi’s remarks as political opportunism, as the flamboyant billionaire builds up the war of words with Prodi, ahead of next May’s Italian general elections.
The diminutive prime minister and leader of the populist Forza Italia party is expected to utilise the unpopularity of the euro against Prodi, around 30 per cent of Italians are thought to want a return to the lira, in the forthcoming election campaign
“There are categories of Italians who face difficulties because of the incursion of Prodi’s euro,” said Berlusconi.
“Italy is not a disaster – but Prodi’s euro has ripped us off.”
And Berlusconi, nicknamed by the Italian press as 'the Cavalier', has a history of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.
Italy’s six month EU presidency stint in 2003 is remembered mainly for Berlusconi’s infamous ‘Nazi’ jibe at German MEP Martin Schulz.
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