Kritiek Europese Commissie op uitspraken Berlusconi inzake Tsjetsjenië (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The European Commission has dismissed Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berluconi's controversial comments in support of Russian policy towards Chechnya

In a rare rebuke of a current EU Presidency, Commission spokesperson Reijo Kemppinen on Friday (7 November) said, "We do not share the view of Prime Minister Berlusconi when it comes to the situation of Yukos, nor when it comes to the present ... or past situation in Chechnya".

The spokesman's comments come the day after Mr Berlusconi spoke out in support of President Vladimir Putin's policy in Chechya.

During a press conference after an EU-Russia Summit, Mr Berlusconi - who in his temporary role as EU president in office of the Council is supposed to give political guidance to the EU - said, "in Chechnya, there has been terrorist activity that has produced many attacks against Russian citizens and there has never been an equivalent response from the Russian Federation".

"We continue to have the same problems with the Russian authorities as we had for a long time already, not having enough security for the human aid workers to be able to work on the ground, not having access to the radio network", said the Commission spokesperson.

For his part, Romano Prodi, President of the European Commission and the main political rival of Mr Berlusconi said on Thursday, "It's clear that our information makes us, as always, concerned [over Chechnya]".

A case for getting rid of the rotating presidency

Inevitably Mr Berlusconi's comments led once again to discussion about the merits of the current system of six-month rotating presidencies to lead the EU.

Mr Kemppinen would not be drawn on the subject saying simply that there are those who argue that the presidencies are too short and those who say they are too long

He went on to add that the draft Constitution which proposes a permanent president of the EU for up to five years with just a co-ordinating role, "gives an excellent basis to improve the present situation".

At the beginning of the Italian Presidency in July, Mr Berlusconi also caused uproar in the EU after likening a German MEP to a Nazi camp guard during a European Parliament debate.

However, the Italian Prime Minister's time at the helm of the EU is almost over. Ireland's Bertie Ahern will take up the mantle on 1 January.