World is jealous of Italian PM's horse power: Putin

Rome, Sept 19: Despite extreme criticisms, Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi has found someone speaking on his support. His Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin hogged the limelight recently by stating that the critics were simply jealous of Berlusconi's sexual prowess. He made it clear that the sex allegations were "made out of envy".

Berlusconi is facing charges of paying for sex with a 17-year-old girl and eight people were charged Thursday with procuring prostitutes for his parties in an attempt to curry favour.

"However much they nag Signor Berlusconi for his special attitude to the beautiful sex, and by the way they nag him mainly because of jealousy, he has shown himself as a responsible statesman," Putin said.

Sex allegations against Berlusconi:

• Berlusconi is on trial in Milan for allegedly paying for sex with a Moroccan teenager. Paying for sex with an underage person is a crime in Italy.

• Allegations reveal that Silvio Berlusconi confided to businessman Gianpaolo Tarantini that he "only did eight" of 11 female escorts lined up outside his room "because I couldn"t do it anymore." But, the 75-year-old PM denied having paid sex.

Putin and Berlusconi have repeatedly talked of their close relationship and have visited each others' holiday residences. Putin, speaking on Berlusconi's favour, claimed, “As much as people have attacked Silvio Berlusconi for his special relationship with the fair sex, mostly out of envy I believe, he has behaved like a responsible political leader in this acute situation."

OneIndia News