Crimean referendum valid, says Berlusconi

KIEV

Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has called the 2014 Crimea referendum that led to Crimea’s reunification with Russia “democratic and valid.”

He also called Russian President Vladimir Putin the best leader in the world.

“Eighty seven per cent of Crimean citizens voted, 93 percent voted to cede from Ukraine, voted to be an autonomous republic, voted to become part of the Russian Federation,” Mr Berlusconi said in a speech in northern Italy broadcast on television.

The former Italian leader noted that people of Crimea are happy that they are not subject to the current Ukrainian government, which was not democratically elected, but came to power through a coup.

BEST WORLD LEADER

Mr Berlusconi, 79, also emphasized the positive attitude of Crimeans towards the Russian president. 

“You should see the love, the gratitude and the friendliness that welcomed Putin in Crimea,” Mr Berlusconi said. “Women threw themselves into his arms saying, ‘Thank you, Vladimir! Thank you, Vladimir!’” he added.

The Italian ex-prime minister also criticised western anti-Russian sanctions adding they are harmful to the Italian economy.

Mr Berlusconi also believes that today’s world is lacking in true leaders and President Putin is the “number one world leader.”

WAR CRIMES PROBE

Mr Berlusconi said that he likes the attitude of Russians towards him. “Russians have given me a nickname, which I like very much. That is ‘heartbreaker,’” the ex-Prime Minister joked.

Meanwhile, an exploratory probe into war crimes committed in Ukraine will be broadened to include events since February 2014, effectively bringing in the conflict in the east, the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor said Tuesday.

Fatou Bensouda’s announcement comes after Kiev earlier this month accepted the court’s jurisdiction to probe war crimes, including those committed in bitter fighting between Ukrainian forces and pro-Moscow rebels that has left thousands dead so far.