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Mamma mia! An Italian politician has demanded that Apple remove the “What Country” app from the iTunes store after the travel guide summed up the Mediterranean nation with the words “pizza, mafia, pasta, scooters.”
The Telegraph reports that Minister of Tourism Michela Vittoria Brambilla was not amused, and has advised government lawyers to take action.
“Italy is a beacon in the world for its history, culture and style,” she said in a statement. “I cannot allow our country to be discredited by having it represented by a criminal organisation.”
NewsFeed agrees. How dare developers overlook Italy’s lasagna, cappuccinos, and sex scandals involving Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi!
Those behind the app didn’t mean to smear Italy’s name. According to a description in the iTunes store, “What Country” hopes users will “explore and discover funny, strange and exciting peculiarities of various countries around the world” through phrases and photos. The image used to represent Italy is a street sign that reads “Mafia parking only.”
Users can laugh at other countries, too. The app captures Germany with the words “beer, discipline, autobahns.” And what about our cousins in Britain? They’re stuck with “tea, weird sense of humor, football hooligans and rain.”