ITALY: New sex scandal documents pile pressure on Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi

Record ID: 470341

  • Title: ITALY: New sex scandal documents pile pressure on Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi
  • Date: 28th January 2011
  • Summary: ROME, ITALY (FILE - JANUARY 2011) (REUTERS) ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER SILVIO BERLUSCONI TALKING TO HIS STAFF MILAN, ITALY (FILE - JANUARY 2011) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF MILAN COURT
  • Embargoed: 12th February 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy, Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAF26YJOU2WSDC7KX55U5826BZK
  • Story Text: Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi faced more pressure to resign on Thursday (January 27) after magistrates issued new documents with fresh details of erotic parties, including with underage girls, and of his gifts to participants.
    The centre-left opposition said the new documents made his position "untenable" and said he should resign willingly or that his own conservative allies should pressure him to step aside for the good of the country.
    The 227 pages of new documents were sent by Milan magistrates to parliament on Wednesday night and chunks were leaked to Italian media, which published excerpts on Thursday.
    They say that a second woman who attended the parties was underage at the time, in addition to a Moroccan dancer at the centre of the inquiry who was 17 at the time.
    They also show that a key Berlusconi's associate who is being investigated on suspicion of procuring prostitutes is privately turning against him and made disparaging remarks about his physique and age in phone conversations taped by police.
    'Ruby, another 227 pages go to parliament' ran one headline, 'Rubygate, a new dossier goes to parliament' ran another.
    In an interview, Rosy Bindi, president of the opposition Democratic Party and deputy speaker of the lower house of parliament, said Berlusconi must resign and his actions are making the whole world tar Italy with the same brush.
    "Italian women are paying the highest price for this scandal, with an image being spread of women whose value is reduced to their bodies and who become tradable goods at the disposal of the sultan, the emperor," she told Reuters.
    Italy's next elections are not scheduled until 2013 but most commentators say either Berlusconi's sex scandals or a fractured centre-right will lead to the collapse of his government and early national polls, perhaps this year.
    Berlusconi denies any wrongdoing and says he has never paid for sex. He says politically motivated leftist magistrates are bent on destroying him and he has refused to face questioning.
    Most Italians take what is written in the newspapers with a pinch of salt and many on Thursday said they were still waiting to see concrete proof before condemning the prime minister.
    "Before I can make any judgement I would like to see the documents," said Rome resident Federico Sera.
    "Gossip in the newspapers is one thing and I know serious journalists are working on it, but we have learnt in the past that we need to be careful so I will wait until things are confirmed one way or the other," Sera said.
    "Usually in these cases it is better if the magistrates continue their work. With this political situation we are in a critical moment for a number of complex reasons even without these criminal investigations," said passer-by Alberto Spadazzi.
    Many people are simply fed up that in a moment of economic crisis their government appears to be tied up with matters that do not relate to the running of the country.
    'I would say if he could stop doing these things we would all be happier, he shouldn't stay in the position that he is in now' said passer-by Caterina Logiacomo.
    The latest leaks also show a growing rift between Berlusconi and Nicole Minetti, a former television showgirl and Berlusconi's former dental hygienist who is now a councilor in the Lombardy regional government.
    In recent phone conversations, Minetti, who Berlusconi has defended as an "intelligent, serious woman" makes disparaging remarks about Berlusconi's body. She calls him "an old man who has ruined my life," according to the transcripts.
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