In what could possibly be considered as one Italian equivalent to the UK Queen’s Christmas Day speech, Romano Prodi, Italy’s current hanging on by a thread prime minister, appeared to demonstrate that he is possibly a wee bit out of touch with life here in the Living Museum. He painted a rosy picture of an Italy in which things were getting better, although I’m not too sure Beppe Grillo and his supporters would necessarily agree with Mr P.
One can draw several possible conclusions from Prodi’s optimism: First, he had had a little too much Grappa, and was feeling merry. Next, he really felt he ought to say something positive in order to counter a certain Italian comedian’s attempts to discredit just about all Italian politicians. Then, he was simply reading a speech prepared by someone else. And finally, he is so out of touch with Italian reality that he honesty believes that things are getting better.
Stop reading, start speaking
Stop translating in your head and start speaking Italian for real with the only audio course that prompt you to speak.
Of course, on Mr P’s salary and perks, one doubts whether financial problems and worries about obtaining a full time work contract really bug his household. And any attempts to investigate the irregularities in which several members of his government are involved can easily be swept under the carpet by allowing the transfer of those nasty law upholding Italian magistrates and financial policemen to posts where they cannot stick their annoying little noses into affairs which simply do not concern them.
In light of the above, I guess from Mr Prodi’s personal point of view, he has good reason to believe things are becoming better in Italy. At least they are for he and his chums.
Still, Mr P may be right, after all, lots more people have been flooding the ski slopes than in recent years. This must be a sign of an economic up turn, if ever there was one.
