Laurence Dollimore
ITALY is demanding that Spanish restaurant chain La Mafia change its name.
Following protests on the streets, the country lodged a successful formal complaint with the Office for Harmonisation in the European Internal Market (OHIM), claiming the title is ‘offensive and inappropriate’.
OHIM has ruled in favour of Italy, forbidding the franchise to use the ‘La Mafia’ name outside of Spain.
The company has appealed to the OHIM’s board of appeal, and says it is willing to take the case all the way to the European Court of Justice.
The chain, which has 41 locations across Spain, defended their use of the name, saying it is a nod to the film franchise The Godfather.
“In no way is it intended to promote or justify criminal or violent organisations,” it said.
Awaiting the appeal’s outcome, the president of the Anti-Mafia Commission in Italy, Rosy Bindi, celebrated the European decision, saying it is important not to allow ‘normalisation of the term’. He said that its use affects the international prestige of Italian gastronomy.
“Italian food, which is excellent, can not be related to the mark of the mafia. We must end it,” he said.
Coldiretti, an association of Italian agricultural producers, has spent years fighting against the use of the word “mafia” in local products in a bid to ditch the stereotype that has plagued the country for years.
Why the fuss? No one ever objected to the notorious criminal Robin Hood having his name appended to many pubs.
Let’s ignore the first stupid comment.
If the Italians feel so strongly why don’t they round up all the Mafia/Cosa Nostra/Camorra and all those judges/police etc. who take kickbacks and the Catholic priests that give them a Christian burial and exterminate them root and branch. Then and only then will they have a reasonable argument to put forward, otherwise the Spanish company should give them the finger for hypocracy.
Yes, let’s ignore anything that contains the least amount of humour and instead demand the impossible while wearing a long face. Fond of “extermination” aren’t you Stuart? It appears to be your solution (final?) to anything you don’t like.
Open in Italy a chain of ‘paella’ restaurants called ‘Los Politicos’, which use ‘sobres, ie, envelopes, as a system of taking clients’ orders.
Now THAT is amusing. Are the “sobres” also “marron”?
So Aunt Sally supports the various mafias, no surprise there. Factually, in Italy they have a huge problem as not only the judiciary are in their pocket but also they can tap into the vast sums that the Vatican controls.
Aunt Sally should go and have a word with those families who have had loved ones executed by the Camorra or Cosa Nostra but I fear he’s rooted to his armchair. I well remember meeting a young Italian who had his honest policeman father and mother gunned down – yes I am in favour of exterminating vermin like the mafias.
It would be ver easy
Forbiding the fiscal paradises, approving especial laws, instauring the penalty of death, in five years questión resolved.
If it’s so easy Anselmo, why isn’t it done? Because it’s impossible, that’s why. There are those who can believe six impossible things before breakfast and not just The Queen in “The Looking Glass”.
Why, there are even those who believe global birth control can be achieved.
It was done in 1925. I´m not daydreaming
Didn’t work very well, did it Anselmo?
Yes, the Americans reverted this situation when they invaded Italy.
I particularly like the pasta chain “Muerde La Pasta” which all my friends call “shit pasta” lol.