ITALY: D'ALEMA AND EC VICE PRESIDENT: POLAND SENDING AN “UGLY SIGNAL”

Franco Frattini, the vice president of the European Commission, said in a statement that the European Day Against the Death Penalty was the first time the European Union have acted as a whole, with the exception of Poland. Poland is “the only voice out of tune” and is sending an “ugly signal.” Representatives of both the EU and the Council of Europe co-signed a declaration for instituting the European Day Against the Death Penalty on October 10, an initiative also supported by the European Parliament. “Its the first time that of the institutions of Europe speak with one voice, and Europe has decided to present a resolution for the moratorium on the death penalty at the next UN General Assembly." The question will be on the table at the European Council of Justice Ministers on October 18. Already, last week, at the informal meeting of the External Affairs Ministers in Portugal, Poland's veto of the European initiative was at the centre of a debate between Italy's Massimo D'Alema and his Polish counterpart, Anna Fotyga. D'Alema said that the Polish government was leftist, nationalist, retrograde and anti-European, and said it was “serious” and “unacceptable” that one country alone could block Europe.