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

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.

I hope that my government can help change Italian mentality.

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.

I am certain that most Germans have instinctive liking for Italy, just as Italians admire Germans for their many qualities.

Growth in any individual European country has to be the result of policies for growth pursued in that country consistent with budgetary discipline.

As to the question of elected or not elected, each member of the European Commission has been appointed jointly by the governments of the 15 member states, and undergone individual scrutiny and a vote of confidence from the European Parliament.