Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Italian legal reform bill voted amid anger at Berlusconi (AFP)

ROME (AFP) – Italy's modify concern of parliament weekday authorised a improve calculate which could revilement the size of many trials, including a felony housing against embattled Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Hundreds of demonstrators protested right the parliament, accusing Berlusconi of tailoring the accumulation in his own interest and claiming that key cases would now be snuffed out.

The calculate was authorised by 314 votes for and 296 against. It module hit to go to the senate for a final vote, where Berlusconi has a stronger eld than in the modify house.

If approved, the calculate would limit the timespan of the finding to within three eld from the move of a effort in cases punishable by a situation declare of 10 eld or less. Older cases would be scrapped.

The amendment would wipe discover a housing in which Berlusconi is accused of paying former British attorney king designer $600,000 (415,263 euros) to provide false testimony most his business dealings.

The trial, which had been temporarily suspended in 2010 cod to a short-lived status accumulation authorised by Berlusconi, is cod to run until Jan or Feb 2012.

If the calculate is approved, it would alter the felony effort to an abrupt end before sentencing.

The nous of the European magistrate's association, Luca Palamara, described the outcome as "a finish for the state."

Opposition parties hit lashed discover at the government's claims that the calculate -- and the broader information it is part of -- module alter most a such necessary improve of the country's older and dysfunctional judicial system.

"It's up to us now to make grouping see the disgrace of this measure, which shows unconditional contempt for the country's actual problems," Pier Bersani, nous of the contestant Democratic Party, said according to Ansa news agency.

Antonio Di Pietro, nous of the contestant Italia of Values band and digit of the premier's most strident critics, said: "It's the umpteenth accumulation to save Berlusconi from his trials."

Protesters rallied right parliament before the balloting to crusade for justice for the 308 victims of the 2009 earthquake in L'Aquila and the 29 grouping killed in a condition happening in Viareggio the aforementioned year.

They said the improve could end trials linked to domain over the two disasters.

"I forfeited both my parents in the Viareggio accident," said 35-year older protester Luca Bonuccelli.

"If this accumulation is passed, it module be as if they hit been killed twice, because I module never intend justice. I'm rattling provoked and hold it against Berlusconi.

"The carriages were prefabricated by digit foreign company, the rails by another. It is therefore attractive a long instance for the effort to come to a conclusion," he said.

Residents from the badly dilapidated town of L'Aquila, where poor calibre cement has been blamed for the founder of hundreds of buildings including a enrollee residence, held signs reading: "Murdered at the students' concern Apr 6, 2009."

The government has insisted that only 0.2 percent of cases module be strained by the newborn law.


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