ROME: Italy’s coalition government came under pressure yesterday from members of Silvio Berlusconi’s centre-right party protesting the former premier’s legal troubles and from bad news on the economic front.
Lawmakers from the People of Freedom party, a member of the coalition, suspended parliamentary activities for a day after Italy’s top tribunal on Tuesday announced a key court date for the scandal-tainted Berlusconi.
The hearing could deliver a final verdict in a tax fraud case against Berlusconi that might mean a five-year ban from politics and a one-year prison term. It is set for July 30 — far earlier than expected. If confirmed, the sentence would still have to be approved by the Senate where Berlusconi has a seat.
Berlusconi supporters condemned what they said was a “plot” against their leader and an example of “arbitrary justice”, and one particularly ardent top party member threatened to bring down the government. But Transport Minister Maurizio Lupi, also a member of Berlusconi’s party, was more reassuring, saying: “We will continue doing our job and move on.”
Berlusconi has already lost one appeal in what is one of several ongoing cases against the billionaire tycoon, who was also convicted last month of having sex with an underage prostitute and abuse of office. The court said in a statement yesterday that it had scheduled the much earlier date for the hearing because one of the charges in the case risked expiring under a statute of limitations on August 1.
“There is no frenzy. Senator Berlusconi is being treated like any other defendant,” said Giorgio Santacroce, the president of the court.
Meanwhile, lawmakers from the new Five Star Movement protest party staged a sit-in outside the parliament in Rome to protest against the political climate. AFP
