Vatican Upset Over Berlusconi Disclosures
1/20/2011 7:19 PM ET
(RTTNews) - The Vatican has expressed serious concerns over charges of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's alleged involvement with a young Moroccan belly dancer, reports said on Thursday.
"The Church urges and invites everyone, especially those who hold a position of public responsibility [...] to commit themselves to a more robust morality, a sense of justice and legality," Bertone said. Such public and openly critical remarks are usually very rare by the Papacy on the issue.
Septuagenarian Berlusconi has been accused of having had sex with 18 year-old Karima El Mahroug, a regular feature at parties hosted by the Premier. He allegedly paid for the favor from Mahroug who was barely 17 at the time. Under Italian law sex with a minor constitutes rape even if it is consensual.
According to the prelate, Vatican, which was following the matter "with great attention and concern", shared the concerns of the Italian President Giorgio Napolitano.
Berlusconi meanwhile, rubbished the charges as politically motivated and said the 7000 euros which he gave Mahroug was intended as a gift. The girl, at the center of the controversy, too denies having had physical relations with the Premier, more than three times her age.
Incidentally, the Cardinal's remarks follow Berlusconi's 10-minute address to the nation in which he denounced an investigation by magistrates into the seedy affair. The Premier also vowed to get laws passed to prevent the judiciary from going after elected representatives in the future.
Berlusconi's blatant attack on the judiciary invited a stern retort from the President of the Italian magistrates' association, Luca Palamara, who termed the comments unacceptable and as one which "seriously threatened the autonomy and independence of the prosecutors."
by RTT Staff Writer
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