The President of the European Commission, Mr Romano Prodi, restated his intention to serve his full five-year term of office yesterday, and attacked recent criticisms of his language ability.
Last week, his spokesman accused the European media of spreading "thoroughly unjustified and unfounded" criticisms about Mr Prodi, such as the allegation that he cannot speak French or English.
Mr Prodi said criticism is a valid part of political life as long as it has a sound basis, something criticisms of his language skills do not. "Was I engaged as a translator or elected Commission President?" he asked in yesterday's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
"I taught through English for many years at some of the best universities, including Harvard," said Mr Prodi, adding that he conducts his work at the Commission through English and French.
Rather than try to achieve "rhetorical brilliance" in foreign languages, Mr Prodi said he strives to communicate clearly with people, a skill he learned as a leader writer at an Italian newspaper and during his political career in Italy.
"Cheap showmanship is foreign to me," he said.
He reiterated his commitment to the Commission, where he "frequently hold[s] the balance of power in decision-making".
"In spite of all prophecies of doom, I will stay in my position until 2005," he said.
"The current Commission is working and functioning. When a team pays well and wins, they are due praise."
He denied feeling left out of last Sunday's meeting of European leaders at Downing Street.
"I never asked to be invited," he said, calling it a welcome example of European co-operation.
"However I criticised a similar meeting before the informal summit in Ghent because at that place and time it could have, and in the end it did, give an impression of disunity," said Mr Prodi.
