Italy

head of government Silvio Berlusconi suffered a further setback . The parliament approved by majority the abolition of immunity of a delegate of Berlusconis government party PDL and opened thereby the way for his arrest. The Berlusconi intimate Alfonso Papa is connected 2 a comprehensive corruption affair around the secret club P4. Papa is supposed to have created together with others the secret organization, which is supposed to have blackmailed high-ranking persons from politics and economics with Insider knowledge, in order to secure itself posts and orders. Papa received info about ongoing investigations by supllying gifts - among other things: stays in luxury hotels or gems. 319 parliamentarians supported the measure, 293 were against it. Thus the public prosecutor's office can take Papa now in custody. The public prosecutor's office of Naples had demanded Papas arrest, a condition for it was however the abolition of his immunity by the parliament. The delegate, who left on Friday the parliamentary group of Berlusconis party (PDL), (protests) reaffirmed his innocence.

German NTV