European Commission
President Jean-Claude Juncker said Wednesday that he had "no
problems" with Italian Premier Matteo Renzi, while stressing
that he wanted to defend the EC from "sabotage".
Juncker had triggered a furor on Tuesday when he hit back
at Renzi's criticism of the EU, saying he was not the head of a
"gang of bureaucrats" in response to questioning from the
European People's Party in the EU parliament.
On Wednesday, Juncker continued by saying that it was wrong
of Renzi to suggest that bureaucrats were responsible everything
done by the organization.
"To say the Commission is made up of bureaucrats or to say
that you do not accept lessons from bureaucrats is not something
that I like," said Juncker.
"I'm the head of 27 political commissioners and we are not
bureaucrats, we are politicians".
Renzi, who has previously complained about bureaucrats, has
said the Commission should "resolve problems, not create them"
and that Italy "won't go to Brussels hat in hand, to be told
what to do".
Renzi has lobbied hard for the EU to relax budget rules for
recession-bound countries such as Italy, to allow them more room
for spending on infrastructure and projects designed to boost
the economy.
That had set him on a collision course with some of the
bureaucracy of the relevant EU bodies.
Outside the latest meetings of EU leaders, Renzi said that
the European Union's main problem was not extra budget costs but
"technocracy and bureaucracy".
And in a television interview with American network CNN on
October 3, Renzi said that much of Europe's problem lies with
its "management".
"Reducing the power of bureaucracy in Europe is of the
utmost importance. I think it is absolutely crucial to reduce
the level of power of the technocrats in Brussels," the premier
said.
Juncker said he will never accept unjustified criticism but
will instead "energetically counter" such comments.
He said he expects more attacks on the Commission but "I am
not a guy who holds back," he said, in response to Renzi's
criticism of the EU.
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