Rome - Silvio Berlusconi is at the centre of fresh controversy over claims he made a derogatory comment about Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The Italian prime minister, 74, is accused of insulting his fellow European leader during a conversation with a newspaper editor.
It has been suggested that, in a phone call in early July, Mr Berlusconi referred to 57-year-old Mrs Merkel as “an un****able fat b****”.
The alleged remarks were picked up by investigators probing a £660 000 blackmail plot against the Italian premier.
Hints about the contents of the tapped conversation have been circulating in Italian newspapers for days. Though the alleged offensive comment has not been published, it has been posted on websites. Yesterday the storm moved to Germany where the country’s best-selling paper Bild ran the story under the headline, “Did Berlusconi insult our Chancellor Merkel?”.
Mr Berlusconi’s spokesman last night said they had no comment. Il Giornale, the newspaper owned by his family, described the allegation as “gossip”.
It is not the first time the Italian leader has been accused of insulting the chancellor. Two years ago he kept Mrs Merkel waiting at a summit while he chatted on his mobile telephone.
The year before he ‘jumped’ out at her from behind a statue and shouted “peek a boo” when she arrived in Italy for an official visit. - Daily Mail