It’s true, Silvio Berlusconi is innocent. He says he is and his is right, indeed, he is so convinced he is innocent of all accusations relating to Ruby and prostitution that he does not think he should bother wasting time going to see the prosecutors dealing with the case.
Really though, if he were so innocent, he would rush to see prosecutors to explain that the whole bunga bunga affair is no more than one huge misunderstanding, but he seems reluctant to do this believing instead he is being plotted against by Italy’s judiciary.
But it is true he is innocent.
In fact, Berlusconi is so innocent that his lawyers are pulling out all the stops in an attempt to move the case to Rome where it will be considered by a parliamentary committee which includes members of his very own party. He is so confident he has done nothing wrong that he’s got his lawyers claiming that prosecutors in Milan are acting beyond their jurisdiction in that Berlusconi’s home on the periphery of Milan is literally beyond the prosecutors’ territory. If he were so utterly beyond reproach then he would not even need to consider such a tactic, now would he? Milan’s prosecutors remain confident that the case is well within their jurisdiction, or so they innocently believe. Berlusconi is also of the opinion that Milan’s prosecutors should be punished for persecuting him, and treating him as if he were, shock horror, a mafioso. Perish the thought, you wicked prosecutors you. You will be reformed!
Such is Berlusconi’s confidence in his innocence that he has broadcast yet another message in Italy to tell Italians that he is, well, innocent. Far too innocent to appear before an Italian commission which is just a wee bit concerned about Italy’s national security which might have been compromised, in a funny kind of way, by the freedom of access strings of girls have been given to Italy’s prime minister’s house in Milan. Obviously Berlusconi is too innocent to have a laugh with the commission over something as trivial as national security. After all, Italy’s is in his safe hands – which is an amusing thought, not.
So sure of his innocence is Silvio Berlusconi that he has been ‘enjoying himself‘ taking all the flack. He must find accusations that he has betrayed Article 54 (2) of Italy’s constitution, or so claims opposition leader Bersani, completely laughable.
Stop reading, start speaking
Stop translating in your head and start speaking Italian for real with the only audio course that prompt you to speak.
Here is Article 54 of Italy’s constitution:
Article 54 [Loyalty to the Constitution]
(1) All citizens have the duty to be loyal to the republic and to observe the constitution and the laws.
(2) Citizens entrusted with public functions must perform them with discipline and honor, and take an oath of office where required by law.
Amusing, is it not?
But Berlusconi is innocent. Indeed, this is true. He is innocent until proven guilty and for this he has Italy’s constitution to thank, Article 27 (2):
Article 27 [Rights of the Accused]
(1) Criminal responsibility is personal.
(2) The defendant may not be considered guilty until sentenced.
You can bet your last Euro that this is a section of Italy’s constitution Berlusconi would be distinctly reluctant to change – unless he could obtain absolute immunity from prosecution, and that with his government’s shaky majority is simply not going to happen, especially in the face of such serious accusations relating to prostitution and, potentially, abuse of office. We are talking about the prime minister of a major European nation here, not some tinpot dictator running a country dominated by warlords and with a population of more cats than people.
For the moment though, Berlusconi is innocent. Meanwhile, his party faithful are innocently busying themselves trying to work out what to do in the event that Berlusconi turns out to be guilty, so even they are a little worried that Berlusconi may not be as innocent as he enjoys claiming.
Others in Italy are not finding Berlusconi’s innocent quips at all amusing. The Vatican is also not overly amused by Berlusconi’s amusement.
The, black, comedy, rolls on.
