Italy needed structural reforms to become more competitive.

Reference to the territory and total disregard for the nationality of the companies is of course the best guarantee that competition assessment remain just that and doesn't get affected by trade or other considerations.

This is certainly not the first case in which a merger approved in one place hasn't gone through in the other. There was a case last year where the merger between two EU companies was approved here and blocked in the U.S.

Europe has to avoid old prejudices and new ones. That means north versus south, rich versus poor.

I hope that my government can help change Italian mentality.

I know that speaking with parties, which I do, but not very often, is seen by many as a contamination.

It is very unusual for a country to ask guys who are not politicians to come and run the country.