Berlusconi pulls out of social event with Schroeder (to avoid protesters)

Agence France-Presse

Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has pulled out of an evening at the opera with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroede, apparently to avoid being targeted by opposition protesters, Schroeder's spokesman said.

Friday's event at the Verona amphitheatre was to have been a social preamble to Saturday morning's official bilateral summit between the two leaders. -

The leaders had been invited to the opera by European Commission President Romano Prodi, who expressed "regret" at the prime minister's absence, his spokesman Marco Vignudelli said.

Friday and Saturday's meetings were designed to bring an end to a diplomatic spat between the EU's current presidency and the 15-member bloc's biggest economy. ---

Ride Don’t Drive It’s Global Cool

Why is he afraid to be booed at?
Why can't he face a crowd like a decent European President?
I'll mark the days remaining on my calendar - thank god he made all other nations agree on reforming the Presidency rules.

And the headlines he produces.... I'm still laughing at the arachnophobia law ( a business importing spiders and scorpions opened in his neighbourhood, causing an uproar among the wealthy residents. What did he do? He rushed a law through parliament banning the import of venomous animals.).