Italy parliament blocked over Berlusconi

On Wednesday, almost all activity in parliament was suspended due to the rally by Berlusconi’s People of Freedom party, one of the two main partners in Prime Minister Enrico Letta’s left-right coalition government.

Letta responded to the protest by saying Italy’s government would survive whatever happened.

The protest came a day after the Supreme Court announced that Berlusconi’s final appeal against a tax fraud conviction is set for July 30, months earlier than expected by his lawyers.

The Supreme Court is to decide whether to uphold a four-year jail term against Berlusconi and five-year ban on him from holding public office for complicity in tax fraud.

The latest appeal is one of many legal cases Berlusconi has faced in his two decades in politics. Most of the time, he has either been acquitted or the charges have been dismissed when statues of limitations expired.

In June, Berlusconi was sentenced to seven years and a lifetime ban from holding public positions for inappropriate relations with an under-age girl and then using his influence in an attempt to cover it up.

Previous charges against Berlusconi included Mafia collusion, false accounting, tax fraud, corruption and bribing police officers and judges.

Berlusconi, who served as the country’s prime minister from 1994 to 2011, resigned last November after coming under immense pressure to step down for mishandling the Italian economy.

CAH/KA

Source Article from http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/07/10/313222/italy-parliament-blocked-over-berlusconi/

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