Berlusconi hit by female escort allegations
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, fresh from a controversy over his friendship with an 18 year-old woman, is now defending himself from allegations that female escorts were paid to attend parties at his homes.
Berlusconi, 72, says the accusations, which stem from an investigation by magistrates in the southern city of Bari, are "false trash" and part of a plot to taint his image ahead of next month's G8 summit, when he will host world leaders.
Major mainstream newspapers today ran several pages on Berlusconi's latest image problem, which was compounded by an interview in which his lawyer denied the allegations but said that even if true, he would not have committed any crime.
According to Corriere della Sera, Italy's leading mainstream newspaper, magistrates investigating a local businessman in southern Italy on suspicion of corruption discovered that he had paid female escorts to accompany him at dinner parties at Berlusconi's house.
Corriere said one of the three women told magistrates she spent the night at the large, two-floor residence in part of a former palace in central Rome which Berlusconi, who is going through a messy divorce, uses as his private residence.
The new uproar about his private life came a month after Italy was transfixed by his friendship with an 18-year-old aspiring model. He said he had no sexual relations with her.
"Storm Over Berlusconi's Parties," ran the headline in La Stampa newspaper of Turin.
Corriere della Sera said one woman had made videos in the residence with her cell phone and one editorialist said Berlusconi's lifestyle was opening himself up to blackmail.
Berlusconi's personal problems have given his opponents a rare chance to deal a blow to the prime minister, who dominates the political landscape and remains popular in opinion polls despite several scandals and the global downturn.
Nearly all Italian newspapers today ran a picture of one of the women with Berlusconi and local politicians during his visit to southern Bari last May. The woman ran for city council two weeks ago but was not elected.
TRASH, FALSEHOODS AND PLOTS
"Once more, newspapers are full of trash and falsehoods," Berlusconi said in a statement yesterday. "I am not going to let myself be conditioned by these aggressions ..." He later told aides that people were "organising plots" against him.
"The G8 is coming he'll have to spend a lot of time denying that he was involved in an escort service rather than being a statesman with the likes of Obama," said James Walston, political science professor at the American University of Rome.
Berlusconi's lawyer, Nicolo Ghedini, told Corriere that even if the allegations were true, Berlusconi could not control who his male guests brought to the prime minister's residence and he would have been at the very most an "unwitting subject".
Ghedini said Berlusconi was "rich in money and likeability" and so did not need to pay women to come to his houses. "I think he can have great quantities for free," he told Corriere.
Ghedini himself came under attack by editorialists for saying that even if Berlusconi had had anything to do with the women he would only have been "an end user, and so not punishable". He later apologised for his choice of words.
According to La Repubblica, one of the women told the magistrates that she spent the night at the prime minister's Rome residence on the night of last year's US elections.
Even one of Berlusconi's supporters, newspaper editor Giuliano Ferrara, said Berlusconi had to decide if he wanted to "drown in a happy ending made up of parties and beautiful girls" or restore some dignity to "a great political adventure".
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Adriano Spiteri
Jun 19th 2009, 09:12
Why shouldn't Berlusconi enjoy his private life? He might have hired escorts but what's wrong?
In Malta prostitution 'is' illegal because Malta is said to be Catholic. But where are the Catholics? How long are these 'Catholics' interfering with our local issues such as prostitution, divorce, euthanasia...???
The days of inquisition are far gone. Let the people be.
A labour candidate suggested there should be a referendum on divorce. This is invasion of personal freedom. WHAT? Put my personal choice up on a national agenda and let the electorate dictate my own personal beloved life? That's what Catholic Malta is about. No wonder some are blaming Berlusconi. And I am pretty sure they're the 'Catholic ones' I strive to seek sometimes!
Freedom above all.
G Ruffino
Jun 19th 2009, 08:43
Well at least one good thing he did!!!!!!!!! To stop illegal immigration. And about a girlfriend much younger than him, I think this is only sour grapes my friends farruggia, portelli and so on. I wouldn't bet a euro that you would not do the same
Chris Vidal
Jun 19th 2009, 08:37
I am not going to go into the merits of how good or bad he is, he is simply the same as any other politician..i.e. what is most important is his pocket and obviously power, nothing more than that. Well i think that these are personal matters and even if it was true, it is his own business and should not be used for political reasons. he should be judged on his political performance and not on how many women he sees in his personal life. if he likes women that is good for him...and if it matters for his wife that is completely something personal and between them.
Josef Micallef
Jun 18th 2009, 21:01
@ Chris Borg - yeah right- his sense of humour! like saying that the recent earthquake victims which were given tents are like people who went camping, with all facilities! or that Obama is sun-tanned! or even worse that Maldini is better than Baresi - I think that its time for him to step down - he achieved a lot but it's now time to retire!
Franco Farrugia
Jun 18th 2009, 20:14
@ malcolm seychell: are you sure that Berlusconi is doing a good job in Italy? If so, why did he feel the need to shut up the magistrates in his regard, making himself and a few others immune to juridical proceedings as long as he is premier? Why does he feel the need to consort with under-age girls? Don't you think that his so-called 'success story' in Italy is a result of the political vacuum that arose in Italy and which Berlusconi managed to ride at his own advantage?
Chris Borg
Jun 18th 2009, 19:55
It is quite telling that Mr Berlusconi, for all his faults, currently seems to be the only political leader capable of holding together a government in Italy. Corruption allegations aside, he seems to be addressing salient issues effectively. Then, there's his sense of humour!
Joe Portelli
Jun 18th 2009, 18:22
@ malcolm seychell
a 72 year old guy with an 18 year old habiba?
Forgive my zelousness, but that's sicknes!
if you make a quick google search and see his accusations' list (which as a matter of fact is even longer than his actual biography), then you might draw up different conclusions about the beloved italian prime minister's "state of affairs"...
Frans Sammut
Jun 18th 2009, 17:49
No, Sir, it's not one but many. And since you insist on having it in Maltese, it's not habiba/hbieb but qahba/qhab. Which, if you still insist on the Maltese, makes him a ruffjan. And come to think of it, I think the Maltese variant of the Italian "ruffiano" (semantically different of course) suits him well. Cavaliere my foot.! A manque` playboy, or a dirty old man would be a much better descriptin of this buffoon...this clown who has brought Italian politics, once sophisticated and respectable, down to the basest level imaginable.
malcolm seychell
Jun 18th 2009, 17:04
It shows how the left is finished in Italy. All they can blame him is for having a habiba!!! He is doing an excellent job in Italy. That is what counts and not how many lovers he has.