Silvio Berlusconi has been caught up in a fresh scandal after it emerged that he had dinner with a judge who will rule on whether the law which gives the prime minister immunity from criminal prosecution should be allowed. Mr Berlusconi pushed the controversial law through parliament shortly after being elected prime minister for a third time in general elections last year. It guarantees immunity from prosecution for Italy's four most senior office holders while they are in power -- himself as prime minister, the Italian president and the speakers of both parliamentary chambers.
Mr Berlusconi pushed the controversial law through parliament shortly after being elected prime minister for a third time in general elections last year.
It guarantees immunity from prosecution for Italy's four most senior office holders while they are in power -- himself as prime minister, the Italian president and the speakers of both parliamentary chambers.
Italy - The wrong way round
You are a senior judge on the Constitutional Court, about to give a ruling on the constitutionality of a bill giving the Prime Minister immunity from prosecution during his period of office. Do you thresh out the arguments in the public court hearing? Or do you invite the Prime Minister to dinner with his Justice Minister for a private chat? Peter Gomez takes up the story, which has led many, including Antonio di Pietro, to call for the resignation of the two judges:-The escort cars arrived, one just after dinner, one just before. Quietly, they drove down the steep descent to the parking lot of a an elegant block of flats hidden in parkland near via Cortina d'Amezzo in Rome. It was in this way that the neighbours of the Consitutional Court judge Luigi Mazzella were able to witness the prelude to one of the most worrying, and politically embarrassing meetings organised by the Berlusconi government. A meeting between the Prime Minister and two of the highest judges in the Court which, a few weeks from now, will decide whether or not to throw out the Alfano law, which makes it impossible to bring the prime minister to trial while he remains in office.
Irony will have it that if the Carlucci law is to pass (I doubt it ever will) that site could be banned because it is anonymous. The Carlucci law pretends that it may be applicable throughout the inhabited universe.
Were the law to pass as is, I too would have to reveal my identity (not that I really care) at Eurotrib although Eurotrib is not an Italian site. Frankly I don't know how they could enforce it but I doubt the problem crossed the mind of the haughty aged showgirl, Ms. Carlucci, as she hasn't one. Mouth and high heels, yay, but narry a brain.
As for the prospected wiretap law, there are provisions against blogs. All blogs are equated to news sources and therefore must have a certified news director who has civil responsability of content. All blogs will have the same obligations as news sources.
The idea, which is already underway, is to sue blogs and the small independant press to silence.
They call it freedom.
