May 2011, Borghezio made inflammatory remarks after the arrest of Ratko Mladić, the Serbian military leader indicted for war crimes at the Hague, including the genocide of 8000 Muslim men and boys at Srebrenica. Borghezio was quoted as saying that "Mladić is a Patriot" and "The Serbs could have halted the advance of Islam into Europe, but they weren't allowed to do so." On 9 June 2011 Borghezio was arrested by Swiss policemen after attempting to join the 2011 annual Bilderberg conference at St. Moritz (Switzerland). He was banished from the Canton of Graubünden for the duration of the meeting. The Italian embassy in Berne lodged a diplomatic protest. On 30 July 2011 he was suspended for three months by his party for praising several of the ideas in the manifesto of Anders Behring Breivik, the man who perpetrated the 2011 Norway attacks. In June 2013 he was expelled from the Europe of Freedom and Democracy, a eurosceptic group in the European Parliament, for making racist remarks regarding Italy's first black cabinet minister, Cécile Kyenge. In May 2017, Borghezio was fined € 1000 by the Milan Tribunal for racist and defamatory remarks made against the then-Minister of Integration, Cécile Kyenge, during a call-in radio show. He was also ordered to pay her an indemnity of €50'000. In August 2019, The British newspaper The Express reports that Borghezio has asked the Italian government to sell Sicily, Sardinia and Naples to foreign countries. Quotes In an interview published on 7 February 2006 on Corriere Della Sera, Borghezio said: "When I'm on stage at a political rally, I become a different person. I say whatever comes out of my gut. It's exciting. No, it's more than exciting: it's like having an orgasm". "Gaddafi was a great leader, a true revolutionary who should not be confused with the new Libyan leadership swept into power by NATO's bayonets and by oil multinationals", Reaction to the death of Muammar Gaddafi. In October 2012 Borghezio cosponsored with fellow MEP Lorenzo Fontana a motion for a declaration by the EU Parliament calling upon Pope Benedict XVI to carry out the Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Notes External links 1947 births Living people Politicians from Turin Deputies of Legislature XI of Italy Deputies of Legislature XII of Italy Deputies of Legislature XIII of Italy Lega Nord MEPs MEPs for Italy 1999–2004 MEPs for Italy 2004–2009