“Emilio Colombo was a lucid and intelligent voice in Italian Europeanism. I am saddened by his passing and wish to express my sincere sympathy to his family at this sad time”. This was Foreign Minister Emma Bonino’s statement, from Jordan, on hearing the news of Senator Colombo’s death. The Minister is in Jordan for bilateral talks and to visit the Zaatari refugee camp.
“During his years at the head of the Foreign Ministry and in the European Parliament, where I got to know him well, Colombo promoted a wise and far-sighted vision of Europe. A vision that he supported with admirable consistency until the end”.
“It moves me to recall his intervention during my address to the Chamber and Senate Foreign Commissions a few weeks ago. His words bore witness to his profound knowledge of our institutions and his powers of analysis. But they were also a call to continue to stake our hopes on the ideals of the European project, in spite of the current difficulties.” Minister Bonino concluded: “I consider that to be a most valuable political legacy”.
