(ANSA) - A reform bill which critics say would demolish the corruption convictions of a close aide of Premier Silvio Berlusconi would affect 88% of appeals trials for similar charges, sources close to the supreme court said on Wednesday.
The bill, which needs a definitive vote from the House, reduces the statute of limitations on a host of crimes including corruption, false accounting, theft and fraud.
A review by the Court of Cassation - the top court of appeal - showed that 88% of corruption trials pending at the court would have to be shelved if the bill is approved, according to the sources. But Justice Minister Roberto Castelli told reporters
later that the only "reliable data" would come from his ministry or the Court of Cassation, stressing that collecting it is proving to be a "slow and complex" process.
"Any other information is just a lot of hot air." Cassation judge Nicola Marvulli told reporters that the court has completed what he called a 'screening' of pending trials and now has "a fair idea" of the bill's possible impact. But he stressed that reports on the 'screening' leaked to the press were "wrong." Marvulli said the 'screening' was carried out on appeals trials that could fall under the bill's jurisdiction, including theft, fraud, embezzlement, corruption, bankruptcy, usury, resisting police and culpable homicide.
The opposition and magistrates have long demanded that Castelli release data showing the bill's impact on trials, arguing that this information is vital to the House debate. House Speaker Pier Ferdinando Casini weighed in on Monday saying that MPs must be given the figures. In a letter to Castelli, Casini said the House Justice Affairs Committee made a specific request for the report on September 15, contradicting a claim by the minister that only President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi had asked for the information.
The opposition, which has dubbed the draft law the 'Save Previti Bill' after Berlusconi's former lawyer and one-time defence minister Cesare Previti, also said it had made two official requests. Castelli said on Sunday that "the only institution which
has so far requested the data on the bill's impact is the president's office." He said the report had been duly sent to Ciampi's office on September 29. The minister, contested claims by judicial organisations that 30-40% of all trials would be affected by the bill and that the number of crimes left unpunished because of the statue of limitations would triple.
Previti is appealing two convictions for corruption. The government denies the bill is in any way related to Previti, stressing that most of the reforms are aimed at repeat offenders. They say the bill will increase jail terms for 'career criminals', Mafia bosses and those convicted of Mafia association. House Justice Affairs Committee chief Gaetano Pecorella, who is also Berlusconi's personal lawyer, said on Monday that "I hope this bill passes because it is a just law which prevents punishment being inflicted 15 or 20 years after a crime is committed."
But critics say that crimes ranging from corruption, violence and fraud to usury and revealing state secrets would all be affected.
The bill must also be signed into law by Ciampi, who last year sent another controversial justice reform bill back to parliament for revisions. Previti has denied he will benefit from the law. The senator is appealing a five-year conviction for bribing judges in a company takeover case in which the premier was subsequently acquitted. He is also appealing an 11-year term in another
judge-bribery case involving the premier's business activities.
