Silvio Berlusconi breaks the silence. It does so with an interview released on The newspaper, in which he addresses all the hot and topical issues: from the Draghi government to the vaccination campaign, from the tax reform to Forza Italia, the first since he was hospitalized and then discharged several times in recent months due to the aftermath of the so-called long Covid. His last interview dates back to 5 April.
“I’m better, I work from home”
“Fortunately, I am gradually improving. My doctors have finally authorized me to resume a minimum of activity, even though I have not yet left the house. The first thing I want to say to you and to all Italians is a thank you from the bottom of my heart for the attention and participation that I have felt around me in these difficult months “he says. Berlusconi. “A difficult road: the one with the consequences and complications of an insidious and terrible disease, the same one that sowed so much grief and pain in Italy and in the world,” said the leader of Forza Italia.
“The Zan bill adds nothing”
There is also the Zan bill against homotransphobia among the topics addressed. «As a liberal», Berlusconi said, «I think it is a serious mistake, because it does not widen the audience of rights and raises a serious question of freedom. I am obviously in favor of absolute equality among all citizens, who are holders of rights as persons. Any distinction based on lifestyles, sex, sexual orientation, opinions, ethnicity, religious beliefs, disabilities, social class is absolutely unacceptable. For this reason, the protections must concern all citizens, not certain categories in particular. But the laws in this regard already exist and if they are not enough we can aggravate and tighten them. The Zan law adds nothing to this protection and instead brings with it a serious risk: that of limiting freedom of opinion ».
The former premier recalls that the traditional family proposed as a value, or the opposition to practices such as surrogacy, could be defined as acts of discrimination and therefore become punishable. «For this», he explains, «we certainly cannot vote for the Zan bill. Our Senator Ronzulli presented another bill, which addresses the issue of protection from discrimination in a liberal spirit. That’s the way to go ».
“I hope that Draghi will do as I do on migrants”
“The good relations established by Draghi over the years in Europe will help him” because “international relations are also made of credibility and personal trust” as “I have done for many years” and “they are relations that last even today” says the leader of Forza Italia who hopes that Draghi will also be able to use the Berlusconi method in matters of immigration: “Not muscular contrasts but obstructive relations both with Europeans and with the governments of the southern shore of the Mediterranean”.
Draghi Government: “An anomaly destined to last until the emergency can be said to be truly overcome”
Speaking of the Draghi government, he declares: “It is an anomaly destined to last until the emergency can be said to be truly overcome” and then “politics will once again bring out the natural distinctions”. The forced ministers? “They are among the best in the Draghi government.” Then Berlusconi on the topic of taxes affirms: “If Italy comes out of the health emergency thanks to vaccines, it will not get out of the economic emergency if employment and consumption do not restart and if companies do not return to making profits”, therefore “all this will not happen never if 60% of the wealth produced is forfeited by the state with taxes ».
Administrative: “No to politicians”
For the administrative offices in the center-right, “there are no tensions, there is a patient work to identify the best candidates. It is not a race to see who finishes first – argues Berlusconi -. It is true, however, that it is difficult to find candidates if we look for them as we want them: not tradesmen of politics, but people who with their personal history have shown ability to work, seriousness, concreteness, experience to put at the service of the community ».
“Operation Brugnaro-Toti saddened me”
And on the Brugnaro-Toti operation he says he is “saddened because he does the opposite of what would be necessary: join forces to relaunch a large liberal, Catholic, pro-European, guarantee-oriented area of government of the country”. Silvio Berlusconi recalls: «All the attempts at fragmentation that took place were short-lived and had no political perspective. I don’t understand why it should be different this time. ‘ The Forza Italia leader comments: “I am sorry that some Forza Italia parliamentary friends have lent themselves to one of the many palace operations, without following in the country, which will not lead them anywhere”.
“We need tax reform, with us never property and inheritance tax”
“In recent days we presented a major tax reform project, because if Italy emerges from the health emergency thanks to vaccines, it does not emerge from the economic emergency if employment and consumption do not restart and if companies do not return to doing” continues Berlusconi. “All this will never happen if 60% of the wealth produced is forfeited by the state through taxes. We are aware that with this government we will not fully utilize the reform we would like, with the flat tax at a very low rate. However, we will forcefully relaunch the battle on taxes also by collecting signatures in the gazebos all over Italy for our tax reform proposal ».