Fears over Berlusconi wiretap curbs
Opposition politicians, and even some pro-government legislators, yesterday expressed growing concern about a proposal by Silvio Berlusconi, Italy’s prime minister, to restrict the use of wiretapping in judicial inquiries. Mr Berlusconi said last weekend that he wanted to limit the practice to investigations into terrorism and the mafia, and to punish those who leak or publish recorded telephone conversations with five to 10 years in prison. Roberto Calderoli and Roberto Maroni, two leaders of the populist Northern League that is a junior partner of the government coalition, yesterday said it would be too restrictive to limit wiretapping to Mafia and terrorism investigations.Full Story