EU chief hits back at criticism of EU Commission

LISBON (AFP) — EU Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso hit back Saturday at recent criticism of the EU executive, with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and French President Nicolas Sarkozy notably to the fore.

"It's not with populist slogans that we will succeed in renewing confidence among European citizens," said Barroso, a former Portuguese prime minister.

Berlusconi made a typically boisterous return to the EU summit stage in Belgium this week, saying he was calling for action at the next EU summit in October to change "the attitude of the European commissioners, who leave governments in difficulties with their declarations."

The Commission has turned up the heat recently on Berlusconi's government, launching an illegal state aid probe into an emergency 300-million-euro (465-million-dollar) loan aimed at saving flag carrier airline Alitalia from bankruptcy.

The Commission said it might be "incompatible" with EU public aid rules. ...