JUNTA PRESIDENT REQUESTS DISCIPLINARY ACTION

Junta de Andalucia president Manuel Chaves has asked opposition leader Mariano Rajoy to discipline one of the Partido Popular's Euro-deputies, Alejo Vidal Quadras, for insulting Blas Infante, who was officially declared "father of Andalucia" in 1983. During a radio programme last week, Sr Vidal called Blas Infante "one of the biggest fools in Europe" and a "clown", among other things. Sr Rajoy said Sr Vidal in no way represented the PP's attitude to Blas Infante. Sr Vidal said later he had not meant to insult Blas Infante as a person but as a politician. Sr Chaves said Sr Vidal's words had "outraged" Andalucians because they were "an insult to the memory of the father of Andalucia, his family and all Andalucia".