Perplexity in Brussels about Monti’s spokeswoman paid by the Commission

Mario Monti spokesperson Betti Olivi is paid by the European Commission because she is an European civil servant detached in Italy. Is it ‘normal’? In many ways yes, at least for the formal point of view it is legal in the sense that the “excange” between the Commission an the governments exist, it is regulated by the Treaties. This is permitted provided that the employee works “in the primary interest of the Commission”, which can also be bring his experience to help the government of a member country. A spokesperson, however, in which interest works? Of a Government or of a person who is in government? And more specifically: when the prime minister is in the election campaign the spokesperson who follows him and maintains contacts with the press as the prime minister is a candidate (or head of the coalition, not quibble) does he/she works for the government or a political force? If this is the case, Brussels could not authorize the posting. Because it is difficult to explain, for example to an Eurosceptic British, that with his taxes he is paying for the campaign of someone in another country. A Commission spokesman, Anthony Gravili, said Olivi “is paid for his work for Monti as prime minister and assured us that it is not working for the campaign, explanation that we have accepted”.

 There is another spokesperson Monti has chosen from Brussels, Amelia Torres, which deals with foreign press, but she was put on leave, so she is paid by the Italian government. The head of the office no, maybe, they say in Brussels, because her salary is too high for Rome’s standards.

 The issue exploded in the press room, and as usual, while the Commission’s spokesman tried to explain that everything is normal, foreign colleagues have come to us (the Italians) asking to light (and to tease). We were hoping this period was over.