AND THEY CALLED AZNAR an arrogant unilateralist who had turned his back to Europe:

Spain's industry minister has accused the European Commission of "impertinence" for seeking to discipline the country over a move to protect Spanish electricity company Endesa from takeover by German energy giant E.ON.

"Brussels' speed and impertinence in this matter surprise us, in view of its bureaucratic slowness and lack of initiative regarding other problems," Industry Minister Jose Montilla told the Barcelona daily El Periodico Sunday.

His comments referred to infringement proceedings being brought by the European Union against Spain for passing a law aimed at thwarting E.ON's takeover bid.

The commission, the EU's executive arm, should be "as sensitive to the dramas of immigration as it is to the pressures of E.ON," the newspaper quoted Montilla as saying.

Actually what the Spanish minister is much, much worse, because besides the previous sentences he also said (link in Spanish and requires registration): "Tanto derecho tiene la Comisión Europea a llevarnos a los tribunales como nosotros a no hacerle caso. No tenemos ningún complejo ante Bruselas." (my translation: The European Commission is as entitled to sue us [the Spanish government] as we are not to pay any attention. We have no inferiority complex at Brussels.")

Just imagine what would be the reaction if Bush said anything remotely arrogant in any policy issue affecting the Americas.

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