Berlusconi moves to block New Year's Eve party photos

May 30, 2009, 10:26 GMT

Rome - Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has moved to prevent the publication of photographs taken at his Sardinian luxury villa, including a party where an 18-year-old woman allegedly at the centre of the break-up of his marriage was among the guests.

Prosecutors in Rome on Saturday ordered the seizure of hundreds of photographs which they say were illegally taken by the photographer from a terrace overlooking the billionaire-turned-politician's Villa Certosa residence, the ANSA news agency reported.

The photographer had offered to sell them for 1.5 million euros to the magazine Panorama, which is part of the premier's media empire, according a copy of request by Berlusconi to Italy's privacy authority to block their publication, Milan daily Corriere della Sera reported.

In the document, a copy of which was published by Corriere della Sera, Berlusconi alleges that photographs depict 'absolutely intimate, but completely legal actions, without any particular relevance or connotations,' and that they were illegally taken with the use of 'powerful and intrusive' photo equipment.

The photographs, said to number 600, include a New Year's party attended by an aspiring-model, Noemi Letizia, whose friendship with Berlusconi has triggered a political row in Italy.

Other include women sunbathing topless in the gardens of Villa Certosa, according to Corriere della Sera.

Also depicted is a party thrown by Berlusconi in May 2008 in honour of of his guest, the then Czech Republic prime minister, Mirek Topolanek, the Milan daily said.

The prosecutors who ordered the seizure of the photographs have also placed the photographer, Antonello Zappadu, under investigation for privacy violations and fraud, ANSA reported.

Zappadu, could not be immediately reached for comment.

Berlusconi in his request to the privacy authority, said Zappadu had told Panorama, other publications, including several in Britain and French magazine, Paris Match, had expressed interest in purchasing the photographs.

On Thursday the 72-year-old Berlusconi, denied having had any 'spicy' relations with underage females, and that he would resign if caught lying about it.

The remarks were in response to repeated demands by Italian media and opposition politicians that he explain the nature of his friendship with Letizia.

Berlusconi, says he is the target of a left-wing media smear campaign ahead of the June 6-7 European elections, of which, he alleges, his wife Veronica Lario has fallen victim.

Lario announced her plans for divorce a few days after left-leaning Rome daily, Repubblica, published a story of Berlusconi attending Letizia's 18th birthday party near Naples.

Since then, the premier has offered contradictory accounts on how he first met Letizia's parents, sparking further controversy.