Italy announces national mourning; many countries offer condolences

The French president and US secretary of state have sent condolences to Italy, while the Russian president called the late prime minister Silvio Berlusconi a 'true friend'.

(06.13) Cố Thủ tướng Italy Silvio Berlusconi. (Nguồn: Tân Hoa xã)

(06.13) Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. (Source: Xinhua)

The French president and US secretary of state have sent condolences to Italy, while the Russian president called the late prime minister Silvio Berlusconi a 'true friend'.

On June 12, an Italian government spokesman said: “(Italy) has just declared a national day of mourning on June 14.” Flags will be flown at half-mast on public buildings in Italy and Europe from June 12.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella said that Mr. Silvio Berlusconi "left a strong mark on the history of our Republic" and was "a key figure in many stages of Italian politics and the government of the Republic".

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said that Mr. Silvio Berlusconi was “a man who never wavered in defending his commitments… It was this courage that made him one of the most important figures in the history of Italy.” Former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi praised Mr. Silvio Berlusconi’s “creative spirit, always trying to find initiatives.”

During the day, leaders of many countries around the world also expressed their condolences at the passing of this politician.

On behalf of the Vatican , Pope Francis sent a telegram of condolences to Mr Berlusconi's family, expressing "deep sympathy for the loss of a key figure in Italian politics, who filled many important positions with positive energy."

Writing on Twitter , European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen praised Mr. Berlusconi for “leading Italy through the transition of power and continuing to shape his beloved country in the years that followed.”

Sending condolences to the Italian people and the family of Silvio Berlusconi, French President Emmanuel Macron praised the politician as an important figure of modern Italy, who always worked to strengthen relations between the two countries.

Meanwhile, speaking at a press conference the same day with his Italian counterpart Antonio Tajani in Washington DC, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: "He (late Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi) was clearly an extremely important figure in Italian life, both politically and socially."

For his part, in a condolence message to Italy, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated: "For me, Mr. Berlusconi was a dear person, a true friend. I have always sincerely admired him, his wisdom, his ability to make balanced decisions, and his foresight even in the most difficult situations." The leader affirmed that in the current international arena, there are not many politicians who can match the late Italian Prime Minister.

On the same day, speaking on Russia-24 (Russia), Mr. Putin said that Mr. Berlusconi was the father of the cooperation mechanisms between Russia and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The leader of the country of white birch commented that the late Italian Prime Minister was "a great friend of the Russian people and did a lot to establish business and friendly relations between Russia and European countries".

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