Schulz retracts ‘racist’ attack

Date:17/07/03

GERMAN MEP Martin Schulz yesterday (16 July) apologized for saying that Italy had a racist government.

Schulz, whom the Italian premier had compared to a Nazi concentration camp guard two weeks ago, told European Voice he had been wrong to make a blanket criticism of the Italian government.

He said: "I would like to apologize to the Italian government. I made a mistake and regret attacking the whole Italian government with my blanket formulation."

In an interview earlier this week with Germany's XXP television, Schulz had said: "Quite simply, there is a racist government in office in Italy."

He said his remarks were aimed at the Northern League party and its leader, Umberto Bossi, who was quoted in a newspaper interview last month saying that coastguards should fire on boats bringing illegal immigrants to the country. Bossi later said he had been misquoted.

Schulz said he regrets making such a comment. "In such a serious argument it is completely true that one has to be precise in formulating remarks."

German MEP Martin Schulz has apologised for suggesting that the Italian government is racist.