Italy's Berlusconi: A Glimmer of Hope to Italy

Dec. 11, 2012

Italy's Berlusconi attacks "Germano-centric" Monti

(Reuters) - Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi accused the technocrat government of Mario Monti on Tuesday of pursuing economic policies dictated by Germany that had dragged Italy into recession.

In remarks that point to a bitter election campaign fought over European issues, Berlusconi said Germany had taken advantage of the financial crisis to lower its own borrowing costs at the expense of other states.

He said Monti's government had been compliant in following a harmful austerity policies set by other European countries.

"The Monti government has followed the Germano-centric policies which Europe has tried to impose on other states and it has created a crisis situation which is much worse than where we were when we were in government," he told his own Canale 5 television.

(Reporting By Philip Pullella and James Mackenzie)