The Hindu : Charges against Berlusconi may not stick

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Aug 10, 2002

International

International

Charges against Berlusconi may not stick

By Batuk Gathani

BRUSSELS AUG. 9. The Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, has launched a political battle to tighten his grip on power. Mr. Berlusconi nurses an ambition to become President of Italy with executive powers. His immediate priority is, however, on settling the case against him.

When he became Prime Minister a year ago, Mr. Berlusconi faced four criminal trials but in three of the cases he is likely to be acquitted. There is one other charge against him, that of bribing judges.

The Prime Minister is likely to be acquitted in three false-accounting cases against his companies because of a Bill introduced by his Government. The Bill makes most cases of false accounting a civil misdemeanour.

Mr. Berlusconi's supporters have asked the judicial commission of the Italian Chamber of Deputies (Lower Parliament) to secure the passage of legislation that the Opposition alleges will serve to let Mr. Berlusconi off the hook.

According to observers, even if Mr. Berlusconi is found guilty of the charge of bribing judges, the Italian people, bored by the long-running court cases involving their Prime Minister, may still remain indifferent. Opinion polls show that Mr. Berlusconi remains popular. It is also unlikely that the Prime Minister will be required to go to court for two criminal trials involving his close colleagues, one of whom is accused of ties with the mafia.

Mr. Berlusconi is also the Foreign Minister and judges may decide that their head of government is a busy man and cannot be expected to attend court.

Parliament convenes on September 3 and Mr. Berlusconi's supporters are keen on seeing the passage of the Bill before a court in Milan completes a trial in which Mr. Berlusconi faces the charge of bribing judges. Mr. Berlusconi and his allies say that he may not receive a fair trial in Milan because of the political bias of judges who had launched the "bribesville" anti-corruption campaign in the early Nineties.

Apart from owning the three large private Italian television stations and influential food distribution and super market companies, Mr. Berlusconi also owns the prestigious AC Milan football club. His supporters say Mr. Berlusconi has short-circuited traditional political institutions by developing an Eva Peron kind of rapport with the man on the street, who regards Mr. Berlusconi as a living legend.

To his advantage, the centre-left opposition remains divided on major national issues. There is some unease about the rising influence and power of Mr. Berlusconi who has an estimated personal fortune of $13 billion.

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