Italian foreign minister regrets rise of euroscepticism
(SOFIA) - Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, a one-time EU Commission vice president, voiced concern Monday about the gains made by eurosceptic and nationalist parties in the European elections.
"My political family won and I am satisfied," Frattini, a member of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's conservative government, said in Sofia after talks with his Bulgarian counterpart Ivaylo Kalfin.
However, he said, "all the political families should be concerned about the result of eurosceptic parties. This is a very concerning message."
"I cannot blame the people, they believe that the EU does not deserve their confidence... (But) that is sad," said Frattini.
The eurosceptic Union for Europe of the Nations will be the fifth largest political group in the next European parliament, preliminary results showed.
Nationalist parties have registered good results in several European countries including Britain, Denmark, Austria, the Netherlands, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria.
European conservatives decisively beat socialists in Sunday's polls, confirming the centre-right bloc, the European People's Party that includes Berlusconi's party, as the biggest group in the 736-member parliament.
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