MEPs seek resignation of Tajani over Mussolini comments

Members of the European Parliament (MEP) from Croatia have called for the resignation of European Parliament President Antonio Tajani on Thursday following his statements about Italian fascist leader Benito Mussolini.

The resignation request was submitted by representatives of the Social Democrats, Liberals and Greens, emphasizing that Tajani's statements were extremely unacceptable.

During an interview with Italian media on Sunday, Tajani said that Mussolini "has done positive things to realise infrastructure in the country, until he declared war against the whole world following Hitler..."

"Any affirmative talk of fascism and fascists reduces the evil they have committed and so no high ranking politician, especially the President of the European Parliament, can speak that way," Croatian MEP Jozo Rados said.

Ivan Jakovcic of the Istrian Democratic Assembly said that if Tajani showed such a declaration, he should not be the president of the European Parliament because he used that honorary function to relativize the fascist ideas and legacy of Mussolini.

Antonio Tajani has, in the meantime, apologized, arguing that his words were wrongly interpreted, and now he has said that he "apologizes to all those who have been offended" by his statement.