All eyes on Berlusconi ahead of corruption case

AFTER the conviction of one of his oldest business and political allies for bribing judges, all eyes now turn to Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, due to face charges in an unrelated corruption case tomorrow.

A Milan court on Tuesday sentenced Cesare Previti to 11 years in jail for bribing judges to influence two corporate takeovers by Berlusconi’s companies in the 1980s.

Berlusconi, originally a co-defendant with Previti in one of the cases, faces charges in a separate case on Friday which also involves Previti, his former personal lawyer and defence minister in his 1994 government.

Berlusconi, in a bitter statement released hours after the verdict, accused the court of “persecuting” his ally. Six others, including two judges, received jail terms ranging from four to over 13 years in Tuesday’s verdict, reached after eight hours of deliberation.

A spokesman for Berlusconi’s Forza Italia party described the verdict as “another foul day for Italian justice”.

Though he is expected to appeal, Previti’s conviction and Berlusconi’s own upcoming trial is likely to prove a major embarrassment for the prime minister, who has been dogged by legal battles since sweeping to victory in the May 2001 general election.

The timing could hardly be more inconvenient for the 66-year-old media magnate turned politician, coming as Italy prepares to take over presidency of the European Council on July 1. He faces a three year jail term if found guilty. A verdict is expected in the summer.

Berlusconi was acquitted in 2000 under Italy’s statute of limitations in one of the cases decided Tuesday, involving his media empire Finivest’s 1991 takeover of publishing giant Mondadori.

The other case, known by the initials of the two companies involved, IMI-SIR, had no connection with the prime minister’s businesses.

These and other cases have provided a backdrop for a fierce battle between Berlusconi and a group of magistrates based in Milan who, the prime minister has repeatedly insisted, are out to destroy him.

The magistrates and the left-wing opposition they support have accused the centre-right government of seeking to blunt their powers and of bringing in a series of laws tailor-made to free Berlusconi and associates like Previti from the legal problems.

In Friday’s case, Berlusconi is accused of bribing judges to oil the wheels of an attempted 1985 takeover by his companies of the SME food group, long before he entered politics.

His links with Previti date from the early 1970s.