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Italy's former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi in Naples at the end of May
Photo: IMAGO/Fabio Sasso/ IMAGO/ZUMA Wire
He has damaged Italy's reputation worldwide, now he is supposed to pay for it: In the corruption process surrounding parties with underage women, the Prime Minister's office in Italy wants compensation from former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
Lawyer Gabriella Vanadia, who represents the Presidium of the Council of Ministers in Rome as a joint plaintiff in the "Bunga-Bunga parties" trial, has asked the court in Milan to sentence the 85-year-old and 27 other defendants to damages of 10 5 million euros.
Vanadia explained that Berlusconi's behavior brought Italy into "worldwide discredit".
The long-time politician and entrepreneur is accused of corruption and bribery of witnesses.
In previous trials surrounding the parties, he had been acquitted of abuse of office and promoting underage prostitution for lack of evidence.
In their plea on Wednesday, the public prosecutor's office in Milan called for a six-year prison sentence for the former prime minister.
Berlusconi protests innocence
Berlusconi protests his innocence, his lawyer is convinced of an acquittal.
A verdict is expected in the fall.
Representatives of his party Forza Italia and the leaders of the right-wing parties Lega and Fratelli d'Italia expressed their solidarity with Berlusconi.
According to observers, the motion by the presidency of the Council of Ministers is likely to hit Berlusconi the hardest.
On the one hand, this was his office in each of his four terms of office.
And the Forza Italia boss recently tried to position himself as a brave and reliable supporter of Prime Minister Mario Draghi.
Lawyer Vanadia made it clear, however, that Berlusconi's escapades, whether prosecuted or not, have brought Italy into disrepute.
Whether Berlusconi and the other accused will have to pay the 10.5 million euros for corruption and "worldwide discredit" remains to be seen.
The move is a rare attempt by a key state institution to restore its reputation after Berlusconi's years as prime minister.
col/dpa