Yesterday afternoon, the Italian Rom case gave the European parliament a taste of what the Italian parliament is like. Last week the problem of Rom integration had been scheduled for debate with a vote of 106 to 100. The Europarliament had a taste of what Italian parliament is like to the point that presiding president, Luisa Morgantini warned colleagues, "We aren't in the Italian Parliament."

Viktoria Mohasci, the Bulgarian Rom MP, declared, "The Italian government appears to be strong with the weak and weak with the strong. They talk about Rom so as not to talk about the Camorra."

Luca Romagnoli, who like his party colleague may not be called a Nazi because he is prone to sue, expressed the concept that Europe should create a "Rom state." Claudio Fava replied that Goebbels had already launched the idea. Romagnoli, always precise about his mentors, said that Goebbels had called for the auto-determination of the Rom. I presume that Goebbels concept of auto-determination was achieved with gas.

MP Elly De Groen said, "the political tactics of Berlusconi resemble the ethnic cleansing of Milosovic."

MP Adrian Severin warned that "populist rhetoric of the right prepares racial laws."

Spidla closed the session, "European history shows us that racism and intolerance leads to catastrophe. If we don't learn the lesson from the past sooner or later we are destined to relive it. Today's debate demonstrates that this theme can be manipulated."

The minutes of European parliament debates are on line in English here. Tuesday's afternoon session is not yet available as of this post. It should be up later in the day or tomorrow.