I have the most profound respect for the Department of Justice and the FTC. We in Europe are a younger and I would say junior institution to the historical antitrust experience of the US.

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.

If the euro becomes a factor promoting Europe's drifting apart, then the foundation of the European project is destroyed.

Not all Greeks are ready to do whatever is necessary to stay in the euro.

There was in Italy a hidden demand for a boring government which would try to tell the truth in non-political jargon.

A lot of the American press at the time was saying 'just watch what happens when Bertelsmann tries to buy EMI, that will be a moment of truth that will show the Commission's true colors.' Well, that deal never happened either.

I hope that my government can help change Italian mentality.