ITALY: Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi returns to work after being attacked

Record ID: 1537540

  • Title: ITALY: Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi returns to work after being attacked
  • Date: 12th January 2010
  • Summary: ROME, ITALY (JANUARY 11, 2010) (REUTERS) ITALIAN FLAG FLYING OUTSIDE ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER SILVIO BERLUSCONI'S ROME RESIDENCE YOUNG POLITICAL SUPPORTERS ARRIVING CARRYING BANNER READING (Italian) 'WELCOME BACK PRIME MINISTER' CAR CARRYING BERLUSCONI ARRIVING OUTSIDE RESIDENCE SMILING BERLUSCONI GETTING OUT OF CAR AND GOING TO MEET POLITICAL SUPPORTERS AMIDST TIGHT SECURITY CLOSE-UP OF BERLUSCONI'S FACE WITH NO VISIBLE SIGN OF ATTACK MEDIA AROUND BERLUSCONI (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER, SILVIO BERLUSCONI, SAYING: "Thankyou, how are you? All ok? Now we are going to have a splendid electoral campaign. Are we ready to work - do you like my jacket, (Russian President Vladimir) Putin gave it to me." SUPPORTERS APPLAUDING BERLUSCONI (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) SILVIO BERLUSCONI, SAYING: "Thankyou from the bottom of my heart. When you are in need I am always here for you." BERLUSCONI SPEAKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) SILVIO BERLUSCONI SAYING: "I have worked a lot on fiscal reform, I have some very good ideas and I think it is indispensable to modernise the country and on this, all of us need to be committed. And I hope the opposition will be with us on this because it really is indispensable." MEDIA SURROUNDING BERLUSCONI (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) SILVIO BERLUSCONI, SAYING: "These things like the cathedral etc have lost their value so they chuck them at you." BERLUSCONI ENTERING RESIDENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) YOUNG MEMBER OF THE PEOPLE OF FREEDOM PARTY, MARIA ELENA RAVETTI SAYING: "He is returning as he left, very strong just as he was before.' MEDIA OUTSIDE RESIDENCE
  • Embargoed: 26th January 2010 23:15
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAFI65Z64CNEJQWWIGEZP6QM5I
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, whose nose and two teeth were broken by a protester last month, returned to work on Monday (January 10) in what appeared to be fighting form.
    Berlusconi has been convalescing first in hospital and then in the south of France and at his Milan villa since a man with mental problems hurled a statuette at him at a rally on Dec. 13.
    As he stepped from his car young supporters of his People of Freedom party shouted and waved a banner welcoming the prime minister back.
    "Thankyou, how are you? All ok? Now we are going to have a splendid electoral campaign," a smiling Berlusconi said as he greeted supporters.
    "Are we ready to work - do you like my jacket, (Russian President Vladimir) Putin gave it to me?" he said.
    There is no evident marking on the face of Berlusconi in what appears to be almost a miracle cure after his attacker threw a souvenir of Milan cathedral at him last month.
    "Thankyou from the bottom of my heart. When you need I am always here for you." Berlusconi said, enjoying his reappearance on the political stage.
    Berlusconi said he had been working seriously with Economy Minister Giulio Tremonti on fiscal reform which would eventually implement just two income tax rates, of 23 percent and 33 percent, instead of the current five main rates ranging from 23 percent to 43 percent.
    This costly reform was first pledged by Berlusconi when he entered politics in 1994.
    "I have worked a lot on fiscal reform, I have some very good ideas and I think it is indispensable to modernise the country and on this all of us need to be committed. And I hope the opposition will be with us on this because it really is indispensable," Berlusconi said.
    And on a less serious note in true Berlusconi style, the prime minister had to leave with a parting joke about his attack.
    "These things like the cathedral etc have lost their value so they chuck them at you," he quipped with journalists.
    Berlusconi's supporters believe that the attack will make no difference to the performance of the prime minister.
    "He is returning as he left, very strong just as he was before," said supporter Maria Elena Ravetti.
    The prime minister was expected to meet with the president later in the evening.
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