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Berlusconi trial embarrasses E.U.

By Batuk Gathani

BRUSSELS MAY 7. The Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, who also happens to be country's richest man and a powerful media tycoon with extensive business interest, is currently giving the European Union the jitters with the goings-on at his current trials and tribulations.

Mr. Berlusconi and his close associates are facing criminal and bribing charges in the Italian High Court. The main charge against Mr. Berlusconi is related to bribing of judges to facilitate a smooth take-over of state-owned companies in 1980s, before Mr Berlusconi entered politics four years ago, and last year emerged as the country's Prime Minister. A Milan court on April 29 sentenced Sesere Privati, one of Mr. Berlusconi's closest aide, to 11 years in jail.

Although, Privati's lawyers have filed an appeal, the final outcome of the current Berlusconi trials could become a source of deep embarrassment for the European Union.

Italy is to take over the six-monthly rotating presidency of the European Union at the end of June, when Mr. Berlusconi as the Prime Minister of Italy, will also head the European Union Council. The other Italian figure in the European Union is Romano Prodi, also a former Prime Minister, who is currently the President of the European Commission. The two leaders would hold the two most powerful offices in the European Union from July 1. But both of them are bitter political rivals. Mr. Berlusconi has often made critical remarks about Mr. Prodi. He charged that his rivals and adversaries conspired to trigger his current trials. Mr. Berlusconi has argued that he has always acted in the Italy's national interests. He has also opted not to develop close working relationship with the European Commission in Brussels and his personal feelings about Mr. Prodi are an `open secret' in informed and influential European circles.

Meanwhile, senior European Commission officials last night tried to `calm down' the Berlusconi controversy. Mr. Prodi's spokesman said that the Italian Presidency would continue and that European Commission was prepared to work with the Government headed by Mr Berlusconi.

Mr. Berlusconi's primary aim is to host a summit of the European Union Heads of Government in Rome at which the E.U. leaders will sign the Union's new Constitution — 46 years after the Treaty of Rome, which paved the way for the launch of the European Common Market.

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