Rome, Oct. 29: Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said on Friday he loved life and women and would not apologise for enjoying himself after new reports of young women and parties were splashed across the front pages.
Italian newspapers have reported that a 17 year-old Moroccan girl known as “Ruby” told Milan magistrates she had attended parties at Mr Berlusconi’s private residence in Arcore near Milan. The reports have raised more questions over the private life of the Prime Minister, whose wife Veronica accused him of “consorting with minors” and sought a divorce in 2009 after he was filmed at the 18th birthday party of an aspiring model.
Accounts of what is supposed to have gone on at the parties are vague and vary widely and Mr Berlusconi said he did not want to add to what the girl had said but he did not deny entertaining her at his villa.
“I am very proud of my ability to be a host, a rather rare, perhaps unique host,” he told reporters in televised comments after a meeting with European leaders in Brussels. “I am a playful person, full of life. I love life, I love women.”
The 74-year-old Prime Minister said he was entitled to some relaxation after the strains of office which required him to work 19-hour days, seven days a week.
“I have a terrible life. I have a life which requires super-human efforts,” he said. “I work like nobody else does, until half past two at night.”