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(ANSA) - Rome, May 14 - Premier Silvio Berlusconi promised on Friday his government would show no mercy to politicians or state officials guilty of wrongdoing but slammed the press for publishing what he called 'proscription lists' of individuals who likely are not even remotely involved in a series of corruption probes.

The publication of a list on Thursday and Friday of some 350 high-profile personalities found on the computer of a Rome constructor at the centre of the probes was "unacceptable", said the premier.

The list on Diego Anemone's computer included politicians, top civil servants and police officials.

Anemone's company reportedly also worked for a number of ministries, police and army barracks and at Palazzo Chigi, Berlusconi's office. According to media reports, investigators suspect that Anemone's construction firm may have performed work free of charge in the homes of some 350 people - perhaps as many as 412- in a bid to win lucrative state contracts.

Many of those cited in the reports have denied wrongdoing or said they had proof they paid the constructor for his services.

"It's unacceptable that the list of a company's clients is held up by the press as a list of wrongdoers. It is up to the judiciary to see if there are one, two or three cases of wrongdoing," said a statement released by the premier's office.

The premier stressed that any elected or state official truly implicated in wrongdoing would come under "severe judgement".

"No indulgence or impunity will be shown to those at fault".

"But please, let's call an end to these absurd hysterics, these proscription lists which a priori and indiscriminately throw dirt on innocent people".

News of the probes first broke in February when prosecutors ordered the arrest of the head of the state public works office, Angelo Balducci, 54; the Tuscany region's public works contractor Fabio De Santis, 61; and state official Mauro Della Giovampaola, 44.

Anemone was also arrested but he and Della Giovampaola were released from preventive custody on Sunday.

The constructor claims his company always "worked honestly".

He has also been linked to former industry minister Claudio Scajola, who was forced to resign last week amid reports Anemone partly paid for the purchase of his Rome apartment in 2004.

Scajola denies wrongdoing and says he never dealt with Anemone but only with Angelo Zampolini, an architect who worked for the construction company and renovated the former minister's flat near the Colosseum.

According to media reports, Berlusconi told aides earlier this week he was "disappointed" with Scajola. Anemone is also linked to Civil Protection Chief Guido Bertolaso, whom prosecutors suspect may have taken bribes and struck sex-for-favours arrangements after the businessman won a tender for the restructuring of the original venue of the G8 in the Sardinian island of La Maddalena.

Bertolaso, who has offered to step down, said at a news conference last week he had "never lied to Italians" and had "a clear conscience". OPPOSITION LEADER USES LEAGUE SLOGAN TO BLAST 'THIEVES' IN ROME.

Reacting to the premier's statement, the opposition Italy of Values (IdV) party said the situation was "really serious if even Premier Silvio Berlusconi has finally acknowledged what the IdV has been saying for quite some time: that is, that ministers involved in judicial probes should not be in the government". Democratic Party leader Pier Luigi Bersani was much more outspoken.

Campaigning in the northern city of Bolzano, the leader of the opposition biggest party criticised the Northern League, using its 'Roma Ladrona' (Thieving Rome) slogan to say it was keeping the government afloat.

The catchphrase was coined by League leader Umberto Bossi in the 1990s to gripe about the concentration of power in the capital and the misuse of taxes mainly paid by the affluent north to cater to the needs of the south.

"It's not Rome that's thieving but there are thieves in Rome and the League is on their side".

"They're keeping Berlusconi going. Without the League, there would be no Berlusconi," said Bersani, referring also to the northern party's strong gains in the March 28-29 regional elections.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday after fresh revelations on the probes, Bossi said that as long as he, his party and Economy Minister Giulio Tremonti "were around" there was "no risk for the government; they're not going to topple it".