Hitting the target

Mirko Tremaglia happy with his endeavour

Rome - "Never before we've had so many ministers, and their declarations mean that we've hit our target." So began Minister for Italians Abroad Mirko Tremaglia's press conference, marking the end of last week's convention on Italian entrepreneurship all over the world. He looked remarkably satisfied in detailing how he succeeded in his endeavour: "I started with a successful convention of scientists, and politicians took notice and understood the importance of the 60 million ethnic Italians who live abroad."
Tremaglia does not see himself as a politician belonging to a specific party; he styles himself as flying above parties and affirming a political belief of Italian specificity, above and beyond political parties. "Like I am, like you are," he said to the audience of ethnic Italian entrepreneurs participating in the convention.
Tremaglia said that his ministry is full of collaborators of every political stripe, and that its agenda already includes two more conventions with Italians from all over the world. The earlier one is slated for December 28 in Capri, with restaurant operators, and then will be the turn of missionaries. "As you can see, I have to deal with several problems at once," explained Tremaglia. "For instance, schools: I reached an agreement with the USA for having Italian taught in 500 U.S. schools. Also economy, information and communications, scientists, etc. In order to do all this, I don't need to run a government but to strike comprehensive deals with many ministries and governmental organizations. My ministry lacks a budget, but has a patrimony: the 60 million Italians who live abroad."
During his press conference Tremaglia was both answering questions and repeating his philosophy of letting Italians know about the 'Other Italy' outside the borders. He seems to have done just that with this convention, selling his idea to politicians and to Italian media that are reporting on this other 'planet' and its successful inhabitants.
He seems to have sold it especially well to Italians abroad, managing to be seen as their 'spiritual father.' According to two surveys, he commissioned, his level of personal approval would be at 70 per cent, compared to a much lower 17 per cent of approval for Italian parties. "That's why," he said, "I wouldn't like Italian parliamentarians elected abroad to merge in the various parties, but rather creating their own parliamentary group. In the latter case they could rely on the support of the Other Italy; in the former they would simply disappear. People living abroad have a kind of rejection for Italian parties, while I present myself as being against parties that discriminate among Italians."
"Parties dislike me, especially because of art. 8 of the law on voting abroad: I managed to slip in an article whereby candidates running abroad must be resident abroad. I shall add that, in my opinion, the candidates running abroad must be the expression of local associations and not of political parties. Senators and MPs thus elected would develop relations with the 353 Italian members of foreign Parliaments. This way, there would be synergy and we would all grow."
"Of course," he replied to a question posed by Tandem, "we have a lot still to do. We have to reorganize our diplomatic missions: some people are very good, some less so. In order to do this, we must collaborate, discipline, and build. The money will be found in future budget laws."
We asked him: "Minister, won't the creation of the joint office generate duplication of efforts? Isn't the foundation for the promotion of Italian culture abroad, decided by Minister Urbani, a duplicate of the Italian Cultural Institutes? Will the latter be abolished?"
Tremaglia did not answer our questions, instead hinting again at the need of reorganizing: "This is a situation we inherited. The Institutes, some of which are in a pitiful state while others less so, depend from the Foreign Ministry, which has its own policy; the Ministry of Culture, led by Urbani, has another policy; and we also have our own policy in favour of Italians abroad."
As if to say, let someone else put things straight and settle accounts. He's only interested in enacting his own program, outside of political parties. At present he seems quite successful, with an increasing power and prestige, since, according to his own survey, at least 70 per cent of Italians living abroad, or some 42 million people, approve of him. Clearly, nobody enjoys as much approval in Italy.
Finally, Tremaglia mentioned Canada: "The Italian community there is very close to its country of origin, and I will certainly pay you a visit next year."

Publication Date: 2003-11-09
Story Location: http://tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=3331