Marina Berlusconi denies role in Meloni partner furore

(ANSA) - ROME, OCT 25 - Marina Berlusconi on Wednesday denied speculation that she might have had a hand in revelations about Andrea Giambruno, the former partner of Premier Giorgia Meloni.
    Last week Meloni announced she had separated from TV journalist Giambruno, the father of her seven-year-old daughter Ginevra, after satirical news programme Striscia la Notizia broadcast sleazy comments made by him in off-air recordings.
    Striscia la Notizia is screened by the Berlusconi family's Mediaset network, as is the Retequattro show, Diario del Giorno (Daily Diary), that Giambruno presented.
    In the recordings, the journalist could be heard telling a woman that "you have to f**k to get into our working group" and referring to "threesomes and foursomes". He is also heard apparently admitting to an affair with another female colleague.
    Giambruno has stood down from presenting Diario del Giorno, apologizing for the embarrassment caused, and faces disciplinary proceedings before the Italian journalists guild.
    "I have read and heard everything over the last few days," Marina Berlusconi, the president of the Berlusconi family holding company Fininvest and the Mondadori publishing house, told Rai journalist Bruno Vespa for his new book, "Il Rancore e la Speranza" (Rancour and Hope).
    "Completely made-up behind-the-scenes stories, reconstructions of events that are totally devoid of logic and often contradictory.
    "The only thing that is true is I respect Giorgia Meloni a lot.
    "I find her capable, coherent, concrete.
    "I like her on the political level and I also like her a lot as a woman, even more so over the last few days." (ANSA).