Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax (+32 22964301), by e-mail to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number M.7364 — Blackstone/Lombard to the following address:

'It's impossible to vote here, you can't vote for just one party as you are supposed to in law, they have put two electoral symbols together .we're waiting .you can see that these elections could end up with people having to take a gun and go after these swine, these Roman centralisers .to take out this riff raff who are trying to stop the elections .what they've done .they've stamped the ballot papers with these two combined symbols, so that if you vote for one you automatically vote for the other one too .so apart from rigging the election, even the ballot papers have been fixed .it's a set-up job .we don't even know if the ballot papers will be printed in time .they're all scum, the Left is nothing but riff raff and criminals .but watch ...[+++]out, you criminals, Padania .Padanians, Lombards, Venetians, Piemontese aren't afraid of you .we can get you if we want'.

Within Padania, for instance, there is an immense linguistic cultural heritage, ranging from Piedmontese to the Venetian language, as mentioned by Mr Gobbo, to Lombard, Ladin and a host of endangered minority languages.

In controversial cases, the Lombard Club's guidance was awaited, while in the case of less important decisions, confirmation "by the CEOs at the next Lombard" was "considered unnecessary".

"LOMBARD CLUB": Commission carries out inspections today at four Austrian banks

The Commission expects to gather more precise information about the banks' participation in regularly held meetings which are known as the 'Lombard Club'.