Prodi defends social affairs chief’s right to speak out

Date: 25/04/02

EUROPEAN Commission President Romano Prodi has defended the right of social affairs chief Anna Diamantopoulou to make controversial statements about domestic politics in her native Greece.

Centre-right MEP Stavros Xarchakos recently tabled a Parliamentary question in which he complained about statements made by Diamantopoulou to the youth wing of ruling Socialist party, Pasok. She strongly criticised intellectuals opposed to moves to make English the country's second official language, branding them as 'nationalists'.

Xarchakos also pointed out that the commissioner has been known to publicly upbraid those whose views differ from hers. She has previously taken issue with the head of the Greek Orthodox church, Archbishop Christodoulos, in a debate about a national identity card. The deputy asked if the 'severity' of her statements was in keeping with the 'moderation and concern for quality' which the Commission needed to show.

But Prodi has supported his commissioner's right to free speech. In his response, he said the code of conduct to which all 20 members of his team are committed states that commissioners may be active in a political party or trade union, provided this does not impede their availability to do their main work.

European Commission President Romano Prodi has defended the right of Social Affairs Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou to make controversial statements about domestic politics in her native Greece.