Politics
Italy: Berlusconi denies liaison with lingerie model
Rome, 5 Nov. (AKI) - Italy's prime minister Silvio Berlusconi said he has never had a relationship with 18 year-old lingerie model Noemi Letizia. "I have had no relations with Ms Noemi. Everything that was said and written were lies," Berlusconi told journalist Bruno Vespa in the book Donne di Cuore or Women of Hearts, to be released on Friday.
After Berlusconi was pictured attending her 18th birthday party in late April, Letizia told the media she called the prime minister 'papi' or daddy and went to meet him in Rome and Milan whenever he telephoned her.
Berlusconi has repeatedly denied ever having an improper relationship with Letizia, after Berlusconi's wife Veronica Lario accused him of “frequenting minors”.
Berlusconi also denied having selected numerous showgirls as candidates for his conservative People of Freedom party, claiming he only chose them according to their qualifications.
"I proposed positions of high responsibility only to women with a high moral, intellectual, cultural and professional profile," he said.
In the book, Berlusconi said he did not want to be president of Italy and instead suggested another candidate.
"I never thought about becoming a candidate for the presidency.
Berlusconi said earlier this year that he wanted cabinet undersecretary Gianni Letta to become president of Italy.
Berlusconi nominated Letta in 2006 as the conservative candidate to succeed Italy's previous president, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi. Letta was defeated at the first ballot. The Italian parliament elected Giorgio Napolitano Italy's president on 10 May, 2006 after four ballots.
Vespa also added an author's note to his book mentioning the name of Letta, who is a member of Berlusconi's ruling centre-right People of Freedom party.
Iinterviewed by Vespa for the book, Berlusconi also denied using state flights to fly private guests to his villa in Sardinia.
"The courts have already archived the case. I have never used state flights in an illegal way. I would also like to make it clear that my group has five aeroplanes which I can use any time," said the premier.
After Berlusconi was pictured attending her 18th birthday party in late April, Letizia told the media she called the prime minister 'papi' or daddy and went to meet him in Rome and Milan whenever he telephoned her.
Berlusconi has repeatedly denied ever having an improper relationship with Letizia, after Berlusconi's wife Veronica Lario accused him of “frequenting minors”.
Berlusconi also denied having selected numerous showgirls as candidates for his conservative People of Freedom party, claiming he only chose them according to their qualifications.
"I proposed positions of high responsibility only to women with a high moral, intellectual, cultural and professional profile," he said.
In the book, Berlusconi said he did not want to be president of Italy and instead suggested another candidate.
"I never thought about becoming a candidate for the presidency.
Berlusconi said earlier this year that he wanted cabinet undersecretary Gianni Letta to become president of Italy.
Berlusconi nominated Letta in 2006 as the conservative candidate to succeed Italy's previous president, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi. Letta was defeated at the first ballot. The Italian parliament elected Giorgio Napolitano Italy's president on 10 May, 2006 after four ballots.
Vespa also added an author's note to his book mentioning the name of Letta, who is a member of Berlusconi's ruling centre-right People of Freedom party.
Iinterviewed by Vespa for the book, Berlusconi also denied using state flights to fly private guests to his villa in Sardinia.
"The courts have already archived the case. I have never used state flights in an illegal way. I would also like to make it clear that my group has five aeroplanes which I can use any time," said the premier.
Bookmark whit:
