Berlusconi 'obliged' to stay in politics

• Tweet

ROME, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- Former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, who was sentenced Friday to four years in prison for tax fraud, said Saturday he feels "obliged" to stay in politics.

As part of his sentence, Berlusconi, 76, was barred from holding public office for five years, the BBC reported.

During an interview Saturday with TG5, a television station owned by his mass media company Mediaset, Berlusconi said he feels "obliged" to stay in Italian politics.

"There will be consequences," he said, adding, "I feel obliged to stay in the field."

He said he wanted to "reform the justice system so that what happened to me doesn't happen to other citizens."

Berlusconi's comments came after he said Wednesday he would not run for office again, saying he would instead limit himself to "giving advice, experience, speaking and judging without intruding."