Italy's PM Berlusconi says trials against him are 'unfounded'

Italy's PM Berlusconi says trials against him are 'unfounded'

2011-04-11 22:29:43 GMT+7 (ICT)

MILAN, ITALY (BNO NEWS) -- Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Monday said that the trials against him are 'unfounded and risible', the ANSA news agency reported.

The Italian Premier also said that the prosecutors handling the three fraud cases and the prostitution one were "working against the country." Furthermore, he remarked leftwing prosecutors were trying to bring him down.

Last week, Berlusconi's underage prostitution trial was adjourned until May 31 due to technical issues. Berlusconi, 74, is accused of paying Ruby, a Moroccan belly dancer, for sex in September 2009 when she was only 16 years old during one of the Premier's parties at his Milan villa. He is also accused of abuse of power.

The PM reiterated Monday that he never "laid a finger on her," adding that the alleged victim has also sworn that the 74year-old politician never had intercourse with her. Prosecutors claim that the two had sex for at least 13 times when she was 17 years old.

In regards to the abuse of power charge, prosecutors said that Berlusconi phoned police in May and told them Ruby, who was detained over an alleged theft, was the granddaughter of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Berlusconi is also accused of giving her thousands of money. The Premier claimed that he made the call to avoid an international conflict as Ruby told him she was Mubarak's relative and 23 years old and financed her to help her left prostitution behind.

On Tuesday, the Italian government won a House vote on asking Italy's Constitutional Court to transfer jurisdiction in the trial to a special court for ministers. The government claimed that Berlusconi must be prosecuted in a ministers' court as he was on duty when he allegedly committed abuse of power.

In addition, prosecutors said they have evidence that demonstrates the premier paid for sex with 33 alleged prostitutes after so-called 'bunga bunga' sex parties. Berlusconi toned down the allegations saying that 33 girls in two months were "a bit much even for a 30-year-old."

Last week, Berlusconi appeared in court for a hearing for one of the four trials he faces. In addition to the prostitution scandal, the Premier faces three more regarding fraud offenses.

Despite the legal issues, Berlusconi vowed to stay as PM until the end of his term in office in 2013. Opposition parties have demanded the dismissal of Berlusconi due to the fraud and prostitution scandals in repeated occasions.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-04-11