Four-times premier Silvio Berlusconi was a "great leader" who "changed Italy's history", foreign minister Antonio Tajani said after the billionaire media mogul's death on Monday at 86 from lukaemia.
Berlusconi "changed our country's history from all points of view - that of politics, communication, sport: he was a great entrepreneur in many sectors," said Tajani, speaking during a visit to Washington DC.
Industry is crucial for Italy, underlined Tajani, who is co-ordinator and a co-founder of Berlusconi's conservative, pro-business Forza Italia party.
"We are the second largest manufacturer in Europe, we are in the G7, thanks also to his (Berlusconi's) intuitions, his great ideas and actions," Tajani stated.
Berlusconi, who owned AC Monza and previously AC Milan "won everything with football, with industry", Tajani said.
The longest-serving prime minister in the history of the Italian Republic, Berlusconi should be remembered as "a great leader" and "a great entrepreneur, but above all a great man" with a human side, Tajani said.
The Italian embassy was due to hold a ceremony and fly its flag at half-mast "as a sign of mourning" and to remember Berlusconi, Tajani noted.
