• by IPS Correspondents (by jorge pina rome)
• Thursday, December 08, 1994
• Inter Press Service

by Jorge Pina ROME, Dic 08 (IPS) - The former "iron man" of the Clean Hands political corruption investigation, Antonio di Pietro, has received a flood of proposals from the main political parties following his resignation on Tuesday.

Di Pietro was the Milan public prosecutor who three years ago initiated the anti-mafia corruption investigations which have changed the political face of Italy.

Recent polls indicate that 80 percent of the Italian population would vote for him as Prime Minister or President if he were to run for office.

Massimo d'Alema, leader of the main opposition party, the Democratic Left (PDS), said "Di Pietro could be a useful resourse for Italy," - while at the opposite end of the political spectrum, the neofascist National Alliance have also invited Di Pietro to join.

Umberto Bossi, leader of the Northern League, the thorn in the side of the governing coalition, withdrew its initial offer to Di Pietro.

"Government should be headed by a politician, not a judge or a businessman," said Bossi in a veiled attack on Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, whose business empire has an annual turnover of 7 billion dollars.

For his part, Berlusconi said he was not afraid of Di Pietro's popularity, and that he would be welcome to join his Forza Italia party.

"Opinion polls are still giving me 56 percent of public support, even though I've been attacked from all sides. Di Pietro gets 80 percent, but hasn't had to face any difficulties yet."

"As an anti-extremist, I think a move into politics would be a good idea, as he would not join either wing. He seems a moderate to me, a centrist," Berlusconi said.

He emphatically rejected the notion that Di Pietro's resignation and those of the other Milan judges may have resulted from his criticism of them.

"It's absurd - there is no connection. I knew about Di Pietro's doubts and uneasiness months ago, of his being tired and irritated by the manipulation he was getting," explained Berlusconi.

"I criticised some aspects of the investigation when I felt I was being unfairly attacked, and when unfounded accusations were levelled at my assistants," he said.

Two of Berlusconi's Fininvest companies were accused of paying bribes to the Italian tax police, and Berlusconi himself was issued a summons on Nov. 21.

© Inter Press Service (2014) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service

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