EU Launches Investigation Into Financing of 2009 Elton John Concert in Naples

(Nov. 11) -- The European Union is just not feeling the love from Italy tonight.

More than a year after Sir Elton John's Piedigrotta Festival performance in Naples, European Union officials are a bit concerned about the 750 million euros in EU funds that were used to put on the British singer-songwriter's concert. The EU provided the money to the Campania region, which includes Naples, as a culture subsidy to support local music, crafts and cuisine.

"We know EU funds were used for this concert, and we are looking into it to see if it was eligible," an EU spokesman told the U.K.'s Guardian. "This type of funding is for regional development. Cultural projects can be included, but with rules. If we find out that funds were used improperly, we would ask Italy to deduct them from the next request for funds they make."

Dario Scalabrini, former head of Campania's tourism office, is not in tune with the EU.

"I don't understand the problem," said Scalabrini. "The EU has already approved the project. This money was given for the marketing of the city, and that is what we did. Just consider the number of people who stayed in Naples because of the concert."

One of Scalabrini's arguments in favor of the concert's legitimacy was that "Elton John sang the Neapolitan song 'O Sole Mio' for the first time ever." Which is totally worth 750 million euros.

In other Italians-causing-problems news, Silvio Berlusconi is also probably wondering if he can get some love tonight. The Italian prime minster is once again making scandalous headlines after gossip magazine Oggi released video of a Cuban model and a Romanian reality-TV star being escorted from Berlusconi's Milan office to one of his properties.