Politicians pay homage to Berlinguer 30 years after death

(ANSA) - Rome, June 11 - Political leaders on Wednesday paid homage to the historic leader of Italy's now-defunct Communist Party Enrico Berlinguer on the 30th anniversary of his death.
    "He was a giant of our history," wrote Senate Speaker Pietro Grasso on his Facebook profile. The former chief anti-mafia prosecutor called for a "civic revival under the banner of honesty" in honour of Berlinguer, who made the question of morality in politics a central part of his action.
    Politics "must reclaim its ultimate responsibility of seeking the common good", said Grasso. The Senate speaker was echoed by Debora Serracchiani and Lorenzo Guerini, deputy leaders of the Democratic Party (PD) of Premier Matteo Renzi. "In a world that has changed profoundly ... (Berlinguer's) testimony of political engagement in the service of the common good remains; a political engagement in which his ethical values were never distinct from his ideals," they said. Serracchiani and Guerini also placed the accent on the esteem and respect enjoyed by Berlinguer independently of political affiliation. "We believe this to have been his most precious legacy," they said. A courageous and coherent politician, Berlinguer was perhaps best known politically for the break with Soviet Communism and for reaching out to moderates and Catholics. He suffered a brain haemorrhage during a public meeting in Padua in June 1984 and died three days later.
    His funeral in Rome was attended by over one million people.