Italy's Government Proposes Immunity Bill for Top Officials | Voice of America - English
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government has proposed legislation that would give immunity to the country's top officials while they are in office. The opposition says the bill, which would still need to be approved by parliament, is aimed at protecting Mr. Berlusconi from prosecution.
The immunity bill proposed by the government is a revisedversion of a 2003 law which at the time briefly halted Prime MinisterSilvio Berlusconi's corruption trial before the Constitutional Courtruled that the law was unconstitutional. This time the bill islikely to be approved swiftly by both houses of parliament, where theruling center-right government, has solid majorities. Cabinet members,such as Justice Minister, Angelino Alfano, have also expressed the hopethat the opposition may not vote against the bill. Alfano saidit is a proposal regulating the relations between Italy's top stateofficials and the courts during the time they are in office andtherefore it should receive widespread parliamentary backing. Alfanoinsisted that the legislation will allow top officials to carry outtheir jobs without worries. Defense Minister Ignazio La Russa defendedthe bill saying the new version takes into account all possibleobjections. La Russa complimented the justice minister saying hehad done a very through job to prepare a bill that cannot be criticizedfor being unconstitutional. The bill would effectively grantimmunity from prosecution for the Italian president, the prime ministerand the speakers of both houses of parliament. It would also freeze thestatute of limitations while the officials are in office. Butmembers of the opposition were quick to criticize the cabinet's moveand said it was an effort to protect Berlusconi, who is currently adefendant in a corruption trial in Milan. Anna Finocchiaro ofthe opposition Democratic Party said this bill should not be validuntil the next legislature because Italy would have in place a systemthat creates laws for the personal interest of the prime minister. Sheadded that it would be less risk for Silvio Berlusconi to face histrial serenely. Antonio di Pietro, a former magistrate, who isone of Berluconi's fiercest critics, said his Italy of Values partywould put up the stiffest opposition to the immunity bill. Hesaid members of his party would re-propose a referendum becausecitizens must be given a say on whether it is right that those whogovern do not undergo trial if they are suspected of having beinginvolved in corruption. Berlusconi, who has been dogged bylegal troubles for 15 years, has been in a long-standing confrontationwith the judiciary. The battle erupted again this week when the primeminister said some magistrates were politically driven and called thema cancer of democracy.