Bunga-Bunga!! Berlusconi Set For April Trial …
- February 16th, 2011
- Posted by EUEditor
The Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, is to face trial in seven weeks, on charges of paying off an under-age prostitute, and later abusing his position, by intervening to help her out of some trouble with the police.
A judge at a comital hearing in Milan ruled, 15.2.11, that the Prime Minister, 74, (picture) should go to trial, the date set for 6.4.11.
Karima El Mahroug, known also as Ruby Rubacuori (Ruby the heart strealer) was 17 when she attended a party given by Mr Berlusconi, later coining a phrase, “Bunga Bunga”, for the fun going on at such events.
The charges are that he gave her money for sex, illegal in the case of a sex worker under 18, and then wrongfully helped her when facing an unrelated charge of theft.
Both deny having sex with each other, Berlusconi saying he is entirely innocent and being hounded for political purposes.
Silvio Berlusconi’s right-of-centre coalition, after a split with one partner party, keeps a tight majority in parliament, but his support has been falling off quickly in opinion polls.
See EUAustralia Online: “Italy: ‘Bunga-Bunga, ‘Silly Old Silvio’, and the law”, 15.1.11; “Egypt and Italy: Old blokes holding on”, 11.2.11.