Rome - Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has moved to
prevent the publication of photographs taken at his Sardinian luxury
villa, including a party where an 18-year-old woman allegedly at the
centre of the break-up of his marriage was among the guests.
Prosecutors in Rome on Saturday ordered the seizure of hundreds of
photographs which they say were illegally taken by the photographer
from a terrace overlooking the billionaire-turned-politician's Villa
Certosa residence, the ANSA news agency reported.
The photographer had offered to sell them for 1.5 million euros to
the magazine Panorama, which is part of the premier's media empire,
according a copy of request by Berlusconi to Italy's privacy
authority to block their publication, Milan daily Corriere della Sera
reported.
In the document, a copy of which was published by Corriere della
Sera, Berlusconi alleges that photographs depict 'absolutely
intimate, but completely legal actions, without any particular
relevance or connotations,' and that they were illegally taken with
the use of 'powerful and intrusive' photo equipment.
The photographs, said to number 600, include a New Year's party
attended by an aspiring-model, Noemi Letizia, whose friendship with
Berlusconi has triggered a political row in Italy.
Other include women sunbathing topless in the gardens of Villa
Certosa, according to Corriere della Sera.
Also depicted is a party thrown by Berlusconi in May 2008 in
honour of of his guest, the then Czech Republic prime minister, Mirek
Topolanek, the Milan daily said.
The prosecutors who ordered the seizure of the photographs have
also placed the photographer, Antonello Zappadu, under investigation
for privacy violations and fraud, ANSA reported.
Zappadu, could not be immediately reached for comment.
Berlusconi in his request to the privacy authority, said Zappadu
had told Panorama, other publications, including several in Britain
and French magazine, Paris Match, had expressed interest in
purchasing the photographs.
On Thursday the 72-year-old Berlusconi, denied having had any
'spicy' relations with underage females, and that he would resign if
caught lying about it.
The remarks were in response to repeated demands by Italian media
and opposition politicians that he explain the nature of his
friendship with Letizia.
Berlusconi, says he is the target of a left-wing media smear
campaign ahead of the June 6-7 European elections, of which, he
alleges, his wife Veronica Lario has fallen victim.
Lario announced her plans for divorce a few days after
left-leaning Rome daily, Repubblica, published a story of
Berlusconi attending Letizia's 18th birthday party near Naples.
Since then, the premier has offered contradictory accounts on how
he first met Letizia's parents, sparking further controversy.
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