Forza Italia (FI), the centre-right
party founded by Silvio Berlusconi shortly before the first of
his four terms as premier in 1994 and called after Italians
rallying cry for their national soccer team, has a duty to go on
after its only leader died aged 86 Monday, his long-time No 2
Antonio Tajani, deputy premier, foreign minister and former
European Parliament president, said.
"We have a duty, as Forza Italia, to go ahead, even though we
are wounded," said the FI national coordinator, speaking in
Washington shortly before heading back early to Italy for the
funeral of his mentor and friend Wednesday.
"We will do so still under his moral and spiritual leadership
and we will continue to work in the path marked out by him.
"Destiny has put me here today, in the United States, at
Arlington cemetery, a place that sums up Silvio Berlusconi's
human and political career, a place that testifies to the value
of freedom".
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