Washington, May 25: Italy’s Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi reached a fair separation agreement with his wife Veronica, who will receive an alimony of 300,000 euros ($371,000) a month, he said in an interview for a book.
Veronica Lario asked for a divorce a year ago after accusing the 73-year old conservative leader of consorting with a 17-year-old girl.
She had initially requested a monthly alimony of 3.5 million euros but lowered her demands after Berlusconi agreed to let her keep a luxury villa near Milan and pay for the 20-member household staff.
According to excerpts released on Monday of an interview for a book that will hit the stores this week, Berlusconi said he was saddened by the divorce but that the settlement was fair.
“Veronica is a woman who is careful with money, and all of her estate (100 million euros) will go to our children,” Berlusconi said.
Veronica, 53, announced her intention to start divorce proceedings against the billionaire tycoon-turned-politician to newspapers in May last year after it emerged that he had attended the 18th birthday party of an aspiring model in Naples.
She said she could no longer remain with a man “frequenting minors”.
Berlusconi repeatedly denied being involved with the Naples girl, but was later embroiled in another scandal after an escort said she slept with him and was paid to attend parties at his Rome residence. Berlusconi says he has never paid for sex.
Under Italian law, divorce proceedings can only begin three years after legal separation.
No details have emerged so far of the arrangement for the three children of the estranged couple, aged 25, 23 and 21, and their possible future role in Berlusconi’s business empire.
Berlusconi, Italy’s second richest man, has another two children from his first marriage, and they play the most prominent roles in his media empire.
Son Piersilvio is vice-chairman of broadcaster Mediaset while daughter Marina chairs holding company Fininvest and publishing arm Mondadori.
—-Agencies