Italy on tenterhooks
THE Italian-led mission to Albania made an odd start. It began on Good Friday, March 28th, with an Albanian patrol-boat loaded with refugees colliding with an Italian naval ship, causing at least 89 Albanians to drown. It ended in embarrassed relief ten days later, with Italy's parliament blessing—but only just—a more prolonged venture to bring help to Albania. In between, it was mostly theatre. In the end, Romano Prodi, Italy's prime minister, looked weak.
This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “Italy on tenterhooks”
From the April 12th 1997 edition
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