VATICAN CITY—Entrepreneur Marcello Di Finizio continued his protest against the government’s economic policies and EU directives on top of St Peter’s Basilica.

 It is the fourth time the bar owner from Trieste has climbed up onto Michelangelo’s 130 metres tall cupola to launch an appeal directed to Pope Francis and President Giorgio Napolitano, protesting against unfavourable reforms which would, according to the businessman, “reduce him to poverty.” Mr Di Finizio’s banner, installed above one of the dome’s windows Saturday afternoon, reads “Pope Francis help us”, followed by “Stop Europa”, “Stop Financial Dictatorship”, and ending in a pleading “Give us democracy back. Give us our lives back.”

 “We are all ready to help him,” said vice leader of the New Centre-Right party Sergio Pizzolante, “I have activated all ministerial channels regarding security and state property administration. (…) We are committed to finding a quick solution. (…) Not everything, however, can be resolved within hours and it is therefore necessary that he comes down.”