“He owed me nothing. We joked about the sowers of hate»- Corriere.it

AGRIGENTO – «Thirty million? Really? I too in the Knight’s will…».

Surprised, Dr. Marcello Dell’Utri?
“Of course I’m surprised. I didn’t expect it because my friend Silvio owed me nothing. I gave everything to him, my life, everything. I got affection from him in return. That’s why I’m surprised and moved.”

Your last meeting with Berlusconi?

“A few days before the end. And I didn’t think it was over. We talked about many things in those days».

No mention of the money, the donation?

“Never talked about these things. He always talked to me about the future. He spoke to me about Forza Italia, about new structures, about how to re-found it. “Why don’t you take care of the selection of the next candidates?”. But I, Silvio, am no longer interested in politics. I answered like this. And when he insisted, I humored him. If you ask me, sure, I can do it, I do. “Think about it and we’ll do it.” There wasn’t time. For me, a great and painful loss.”

Did you know that the refrain will be triggered on the suspicion that the Cavaliere has paid for his silence on the alleged relationships with mafia figures?

“These are things said by sowers of hate.”

It would be the second suspect after the controversy over his villa purchased, it was said, by Berlusconi at exorbitant prices.

“Absolute falsehoods. Documented by the deeds, by the official papers».

There was talk of another twenty or thirty million for that fabulous villa on a branch of Lake Como…

«For that villa there was talk of an exaggerated figure. They said it to the Palermo prosecutor’s office. Wrong. In fact, three years later, Berlusconi resold it to a Russian tycoon at a higher price and even gave me half of the surplus».

How much did she sell for?

«Twenty-one million euros».

And the Knight?

“Twenty-seven or twenty-eight, I don’t remember. Half the difference to me.’

Only friendships?

“And what else? We read the insinuations of the ‘sowers’ and ignored them. We rather joked about the name of the villa which was called Comalcione. “But what is the name?” Silvio wondered. And I explained that the root is Como. ‘No, we have to change our name’. And in fact it was called Villa Berlusconi».

What’s he doing with all these millions?

«In the meantime, they will also be used for a project I’ve been working on for a year. A library of Sicilian literature books in the heart of the Valley of the Temples. It will be my gift and also that of my friend Silvio for Agrigento Capital of Culture 2025. It will be ready by that date».

Inside the Archaeological Park?

«Three hundred meters from the Temple of Concordia. But it will be a “modal donation”».

Meaning what?

«It means that I give one thing to you, on condition that you do what I ask of you. And I ask for the activation of a book and paper restoration laboratory, as well as a master’s degree in the library and a master’s degree in economics related to publishing and books. Since the Agrigento university campus has the professors of cultural heritage from the Palermo university, let’s all work together on a workshop of knowledge for students and researchers».

Can you imagine the Valle library a bit like your library in via del Senato in Milan?

“It reflects it. It will be useful for researchers and for tourists to whom they can tell the best of this island».

Will it have a name?

«I’ll have it called “Bibliteca Utriana”».

Does your surname become an adjective?

“What’s wrong? In Agrigento they have the “Lucchesiana”…».

Since 1765, thanks to the bishop Lucchesi Palli, princely family.

«And now thanks to us, to me, the Knight…».

How much will it cost?

“A few million. The value of the books is very high».

Even on books and on the sale of ancient tomes they didn’t spare her suspicions.

“Hearsay. On the other hand they persecuted and poisoned me. But I’m still alive.”

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