Italian Modern Art Museum Director Asks for Asylum

An Italian modern art museum director has "asked" Germany for asylum given the poor state of affairs for the arts in his own country. See
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110205/od_afp/italygermanyculturemuseumasylumoffbeat

Yet, the US State Department discounted Italy's inablitiy to care for its own cultural patrimony in renewing and expanding its current MOU with Italy.