For the moment Enrico Letta feels safe. Yesterday he listened "carefully" to the PDL demonstration in front of Palazzo Grazioli and apparently what was not said reassured him. “The tones could have been decidedly worse – confessed the Premier to his followers -. The conditions are there to move forward”.
To the crowd of supporters gathered in front of his Roman residence, the newly sentenced Silvio Berlusconi reaffirmed his innocence, emphasizing that he does not intend to abandon active politics despite the imminent expulsion from the Senate and the subsequent ban on running for office again. Yet, the Knight has avoided the threatening tones addressed to the Colle in recent days. The ultimatum feared by the Democratic Party ("either pardon or the government falls") has not arrived.
On the contrary: “No one is going to tell us that this is a subversive demonstration, or that we are irresponsible – said Berlusconi -. The government must go ahead, the Parliament must go ahead to approve the economic measures adopted".
As for the conviction for tax fraud ratified by the Supreme Court on Thursday, “I tell you clearly – the former Premier reiterated – I am innocent. I have never done false billing. And I never called my company while I was chairman of the board, because they would have brought up the conflict of interest issue.
The usual attack on the judges could not be missing. According to Berlusconi, “a part of the judiciary belongs to a strongly ideological current which in its deeds declares that its adherents must use their terrible power to take away the freedom of a citizen, to help the people to have democracy. And democracy for the judges is only the government with the left. The judiciary eliminated the parties of the first Republic, then me. A condition that is found only in regimes”.
Finally, the resolutions for the future: "I'm staying here, I won't give up, we will all fight this battle for democracy and freedom together".
Letta appreciates, but does not let his guard down: “I take note of the expressed will to continue supporting the government, which Berlusconi did not do on Thursday – commented the Premier -, but I will be able to verify the concrete facts in the next few days. What opens is a crucial week ”.
