Berlusconi sues for €14m

Billionaire Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi today filed a €14m slander lawsuit against an opposition leader over comments he made about an alleged kickback scandal.

The lawsuit centres on remarks made last month by centre-left leader Piero Fassino, who has been accused of taking kickbacks in connection with the 1997 partial sale of Telekom Serbia to an Italian telecommunications giant.

Fassino, who denies the charges, said “puppeteers” at the premier’s office were behind the accusations.

At the time, Berlusconi’s spokesman Paolo Bonaiuti said the premier would seek legal action.

The Telekom Serbia case has heated up the political debate in Italy ever since financial consultant Igor Marini – a witness before a parliamentary commission looking into the deal – accused Fassino of taking kickbacks in the purchase.

The sale occurred when power was held by a centre-left government, which included Fassino as well as other leading politicians who also face accusations: current EU Commission President Romano Prodi, Rome Mayor Walter Veltroni and former Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini.

They have all denied any wrongdoing.