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The France Soir correspondent in Rome, Ariel Dumont, has just been sacked for being anti-Berlusconian. This isn't what the paper says, of course. The editor talks about the need to rationalise its overseas representation for reasons of budget and denies any pressure from the newspaper's owner. France Soir is controlled by 23-year-old Alexander Pugachev, the son of the Russian oligarch Sergei Pugachev, the 605th richest man in the world, ex-Chekhist and close friend of Putin. Berlusconi, by sheer coincidence, is also a close friend of Putin, in what passes for friendship among people of this sort.

By further coincidence, the newspaper has also sacked Natalie Ouvaroff, its Moscow correspondent, who has been less than gentle recently with the feisty bare-chested salmon wrestler from St. Petersburg, the man whose reputation may not be besmirched, or else. The dinky badge to the right, by the way, belongs to the KGB ans may once have adorned young Vlad's lapel, or wherever they used to wear these things.

Still, things could be worse. Getting the sack isn't much fun, but it's better than being shot in the head.

Sardinia shafted

If you'd like to enjoy what's left of the natural beauty of Sardinia (see right) before the entire island is converted into a 'fitness centre' you'd better get a move on. That's right. Berlusconi's glove puppet just became governor. New boy Cappellacci is to Berlusconi as Medvedev is to Putin, so don't expect surprises. In fact, their relationship - in both cases - reminds me of a rather offensive joke about a bad ventriloquist who used to put his hand up his nephew's arse and tell him to keep his mouth shut. Except that Putin and Berlusconi are clearly considered rather good ventriloquists.

A few days before Eluana Englaro died, some gobby cardinal criticised polls indicating a substantial majority in favour of her death by saying that Italians weren't that stupid. He was wrong then, but he's been proved right now. 

(OK, the second picture's actually Dubai, but you get the idea...)

Democracy derailed

George Bush says that democratic reform in Rusia has been derailed. You can understand why he's worried. Rigged elections and the illegal disenfrachisement of voters. Prisoners held for years in subhuman conditions without trial. The economy held hostage by a gaggle of semi-legal oligarchs. The ever-growing threat of religious fundamentalism. Constant attacks on basic human rights. Global warming rampant and no political will to curb it.

And that's just the USA! Imagine what Putin's up to...

And we are here as on a darkling plain...

The situation for gays in Eastern Europe is getting worse, and we're nowhere near the end of it, as can be seen from this article, which describes the growing homophobia in Latvia, Poland and Russia.( See my posts below, Protecting children, Polish style and To Moscow and back (sharpish) for more examples of this madness).

Sam Harris, in The End of Faith, argues that the real problem is not fundamentalism, but the respect given to the moderate voices of irrationality, which legitimise fundamentalism by asserting that even though the acts of individual fundamentalists may be abhorrent the belief system on which they're based has god-given validity.

I find Harris's argument convincing. And I'm convinced that, when it comes to homophobia, the fundamentalism of these people in eastern Europe is sustained not only by the usual religious suspects but also, for example, by the decision of the Mayor of Milan to withdraw the city's patronage, after 21 years, from the Gay Cinema Festival. It's a small thing, barely a blip on the cultural calendar of Italy, let alone Europe, but that's all the more reason to support it. The Mayor of Milan, Letizia Moratti, one of Berlusconi's most unpopular ministers during his 'government', is often spoken of as a potential leader of the centre-left when the corrupt buffoon finally hands in his mason's hammer and resigns.

Vittorio Sgarbi, motor-mouth, art critic and assessore per la cultura of Milan council, who was all in favour of the event, says that denying patronage is counter-productive and only draws attention to the festival. This may be true. But it also, and this is far more worrying, legitimises anti-gay feeling. Each time a figure of authority behaves in this way, the irrational hatred of rabid gangs of gay-bashers (see photograph) receives implicit backing.


Moratti also refused to support a gay tennis open last year unless the word gay was removed from the poster. It might have been more appropriate to remove open. On the other hand, as a member of Forza Italia, she's used to misleading publicity.