If you have had a bad week, you may be able to take comfort in the fact that it cannot have been as bad as that of Silvio Berlusconi: as further lurid details of the “Ruby” affair emerged, another young woman made further allegations, a former political ally called for his resignation and a national security committee announced that it wants to speak to the Premier, who caused worldwide outrage when he fought back with the remark that it was better to like beautiful women than to be gay.
Karima El Mahroug, aka Ruby, last week claimed that she had been given money and gifts by the Premier after taking part in erotic parties at the Villa Arcore, Mr Berlusconi’s residence outside Milan. At the time of the parties, Ruby was 17. There are also allegations that the Premier helped her after she was arrested for theft in Milan. Her right to be in Italy was also being investigated. At first Ruby was reported to be Moroccan but then confusion arose because police were told that she was not only Egyptian but related to the Egyptian President. Currently she is thought to be the daughter of Moroccan immigrants living in Sicily.
Next, another escort, Nadia Macri [28] came forward with allegations that she was paid for sex at the Villa Arcore and at Mr Berlusconi’s Sardinian villa. In Sardinia, she says, marijuana was readily available for guests, although she does say that she never saw Mr Berlusconi using it. Nadia then gave the press a field day when she told them that Mr Berlusconi has a statue of himself as Superman at the Villa Arcore.
Meanwhile, the Premier’s security police complained that they were often being used as “escorts for the escorts” and Mr Berlusconi’s former ally Gianfranco Fini, Leader of the Chamber of Deputies and a possible future Premier, called for Mr Berlusconi’s resignation if it is proven that he helped Ruby to evade police charges. Former Prime Minister Massimo D’Alema, who heads a parliamentary security committee, says the committee will investigate Mr Berlusconi from next week. Concerns are being expressed about possible dangers to national security and the Premier’s vulnerability to blackmail.
Mr Berlusconi says that the allegations are all part of a vendetta against him but Francesco Berletti, who is organising a conference on family values in Milan on Monday, is an example of the many Italians who are unimpressed by this claim. Mr Berletti has rescinded a conference invitation to Mr Berlusconi, saying that the Premier’s presence would be an embarrassment.
On top of all this, the Premier’s estranged wife, Veronica Lario, is to contest the couple’s divorce in court in December. If the Premier survives the next few weeks, this may distract the press from “Rubygate” but not for long.
Do you think that Mr Berlusconi should resign?
