The message was sent out to Italian voters

Italy, along with the rest of the European Union is going to the polls in the European parliament elections.

The SMS message said: "Elections 2004. Polling stations are open on Saturday 12 between 1500 and 2200 and Sunday 13 between 0700 and 2200.

"ID document and electoral certificate needed. Prime Minister's Office."

Deputy Prime Minister Gianfranco Fini said there was nothing controversial about the message.

"I do not think there is the need for an argument, because it is the classic neutral and institutional message," he told Italian Rai radio.

This initiative was intended to inform and help Italians Silvio Berlusconi

"It would have been very serious if there was an invitation to vote for this or that party, but this was a neutral call."

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said the task of sending the message had been sub-contracted to Italy's three or four mobile phone operators, who then sent the message to all their own customers.

Mr Berlusconi told reporters: "This initiative was intended to inform and help Italians."

The prime minister's office said the interior ministry - which usually sends all public messages - and the state privacy watchdog had approved the initiative.

However Reuters news agency said it was unclear who paid the estimated 3 million euros (�1.9m) for the service.

Opposition candidate Lilli Gruber criticised the initiative.

"This is mad and disturbing," she said. "The head of the privacy watchdog should act on those SMS messages."

Text campaign

Roberto Giachetti of the opposition Daisy Party also criticised the scheme.

"Poor Berlusconi. Evidently, owning three TV stations and having political control over Rai is not enough," he said.

Meanwhile, Italian voters may also be receiving SMS messages from their friends, or friends of friends, encouraging them to Vote Berlusconi.

The prime minister's party Forza Italia has launched a last minute text message campaign to drum up support ahead of the elections.

It encourages the party faithful to send one of 11 suggested messages, such as "Vote Forza Italia, Write Berlusconi", to five friends. The message then asks the receiver to pass it on to five friends.

The elections started on Thursday in the UK and the Netherlands and are taking place across the EU until Sunday.

Italy's elections for 78 seats in the new European parliament are spread over Saturday and Sunday.