This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jul/10/silvio-berlusconi-party-loophole-appeal-italy
The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
Next version
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Berlusconi party protests at attempt to close loophole that could spare him jail | Berlusconi party protests at attempt to close loophole that could spare him jail |
| (2 months later) | |
| The parliamentary leaders of Silvio Berlusconi's party have demanded the suspension of parliament in protest at a decision by the supreme court aimed at preventing him from evading a four-year jail sentence on a technicality. | The parliamentary leaders of Silvio Berlusconi's party have demanded the suspension of parliament in protest at a decision by the supreme court aimed at preventing him from evading a four-year jail sentence on a technicality. |
| The heads of the media tycoon's Freedom People (PdL) movement in both chambers said they wanted the legislature to cease all activity for three days. The centre-left Democratic Party (PD), which is joined to the PdL in Italy's left-right coalition, immediately rejected the demand, opening a rift within Enrico Letta's already fragile government. | The heads of the media tycoon's Freedom People (PdL) movement in both chambers said they wanted the legislature to cease all activity for three days. The centre-left Democratic Party (PD), which is joined to the PdL in Italy's left-right coalition, immediately rejected the demand, opening a rift within Enrico Letta's already fragile government. |
| In a further threat to its survival, Berlusconi's representatives announced they were boycotting a meeting on Wednesday of the three parties that make up the coalition. | In a further threat to its survival, Berlusconi's representatives announced they were boycotting a meeting on Wednesday of the three parties that make up the coalition. |
| The media tycoon has already been convicted in two lower courts of a €7.5m (£6.5m) tax fraud orchestrated by his Mediaset TV company. The judges added to the prison sentence, which Berlusconi is unlikely to have to serve, a ban on his holding office for five years, which would be an even harsher blow. | The media tycoon has already been convicted in two lower courts of a €7.5m (£6.5m) tax fraud orchestrated by his Mediaset TV company. The judges added to the prison sentence, which Berlusconi is unlikely to have to serve, a ban on his holding office for five years, which would be an even harsher blow. |
| If his case had followed its normal course through the supreme court, his final appeal would have been heard in about six months' time. But – as the result of a law passed by Berlusconi's government in 2005 – one of the counts on which he was charged would have been "timed out" in the meantime by a statute of limitations. | If his case had followed its normal course through the supreme court, his final appeal would have been heard in about six months' time. But – as the result of a law passed by Berlusconi's government in 2005 – one of the counts on which he was charged would have been "timed out" in the meantime by a statute of limitations. |
| The judges would probably have had to send the case back to a lower court for a recalculation of the sentence. In Italy, that could easily take 12 months, during which period the other count would have been timed out. | The judges would probably have had to send the case back to a lower court for a recalculation of the sentence. In Italy, that could easily take 12 months, during which period the other count would have been timed out. |
| The supreme court decided that Berlusconi's appeal should be heard on 30 July before a tribunal that deals with urgent matters during the summer legal holidays. | The supreme court decided that Berlusconi's appeal should be heard on 30 July before a tribunal that deals with urgent matters during the summer legal holidays. |
| The billionaire politician's followers expressed outrage at the decision. Maurizio Lupi, the transport minister, said: "Millions of Italians wait years for justice, but for Silvio Berlusconi the [supreme court] gets convened in record time." | The billionaire politician's followers expressed outrage at the decision. Maurizio Lupi, the transport minister, said: "Millions of Italians wait years for justice, but for Silvio Berlusconi the [supreme court] gets convened in record time." |
| But the Corriere della Sera, the paper that first spotted the loophole through which the leader of the Italian right might once again wriggle, pointed to a 1969 law that instructs judges to speed up cases that are at risk of lapsing during the summer break because of a statute of limitations. | But the Corriere della Sera, the paper that first spotted the loophole through which the leader of the Italian right might once again wriggle, pointed to a 1969 law that instructs judges to speed up cases that are at risk of lapsing during the summer break because of a statute of limitations. |
| Roberto Maroni, the leader of the Northern League, which was in coalition with the PdL until 2011, said a suspension of parliament would be an "affront to democracy". | Roberto Maroni, the leader of the Northern League, which was in coalition with the PdL until 2011, said a suspension of parliament would be an "affront to democracy". |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |
Previous version
1
Next version