Berlusconi defiant after Milan judge accuses him of bribery

By Guy Dinmore in Rome and Vincent Boland in Milan

Published: October 6 2009

Silvio Berlusconi, Italy's prime minister and billionaire media mogul, insisted last night he would serve out his full term, in spite of allegations by a Milan judge that he had been "coresponsible" for bribing a judge nearly 20 years ago to prevent a business rival acquiring the Mondadori publishing house.

"I want all our opposition to know that this government will bring to completion its five-year mission," Mr Berlusconi said, describing himself as left speechless by the "legal outrage" of the court statement.

The court's accusation might not carry immediate legal consequences for Mr Berlusconi, who was elected last year, but it again puts the focus on his business dealings and influence over Italian media after a mass demonstration in Rome on Saturday in defence of media freedom.

Mr Berlusconi's supporters sought to link the court's accusations to what they see as a co-ordinated campaign by opposition politicians and newspapers owned by Carlo De Benedetti, his long-time business rival, to bring the government down with smear tactics.

Weakened politically by scandals over his private life, Mr Berlusconi is suing La Repubblica, a left-leaning newspaper owned by Mr De Benedetti, for libel over its reporting of his relationship with a teenage model and allegations he hosted prostitutes at private parties.

The latest accusation of corruption was contained in the Milan court's explanation of its ruling on Saturday in a civil case that ordered the prime minister's Fininvest company to pay damages of €750m (£690m) to CIR, the media group owned by Mr De Benedetti. In a 1991 court ruling CIR had lost to Mr Berlusconi in the battle to take over Mondadori.

The Milan judge, Raimondo Mesiano, said Mr Berlusconi was "co-responsible for the corrupt circumstances" surrounding the battle for Mondadori "as a logical consequence of the principle of civil responsibility" as head of Fininvest. Fininvest will appeal and seek to have the damages suspended.

In 2007 Cesare Previti, Mr Berlusconi's lawyer, was convicted of bribing a judge in the 1991 case. Mr Berlusconi had been earlier cleared of responsibility.

Italy's constitutional court is expected to begin deliberating today on whether immunity from prosecution given to Mr Berlusconi by an act of parliament last year was in accordance with the constitution.

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009

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