Berlusconi defends use of bribes by Italian companies abroad

Rome (dpa) - Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi justified Thursday the use of bribes by companies to win contracts abroad.

Berlusconi‘s remarks came in the wake of international corruption scandals that have led Italian prosecutors to order the arrest of the former chief of defence firm Finmeccanica and launch investigations against the head of energy company ENI.

"Bribes are a phenomenon that exists, you cannot deny necessities when you negotiate with third world countries or in some regimes," Berlusconi said on RAI state broadcaster.

Finmeccanica allegedly paid bribes in India, while ENI is accused of having done so in Algeria. In the wake of the scandal, the Indian government has suspended its business with the Italian defence group.

"India is a country outside of the Western hemisphere, it is an absurd form of moralizing, you cannot be an entrepreneur in this way," Berlusconi protested.

ENI and Finmeccanica are both controlled by the Italian state. Their indicted managers were both appointed when Berlusconi was in government.

Berlusconi, who is leading a conservative coalition in elections slated on February 24-25, accused politically motivated magistrates of trying to divert attention away from another scandal at Monte dei Paschi di Siena, a bank linked to the Democratic Party, a rival centre-left party. dpa alv ncs Author: Alvise Armellini