Berlusconi declines questions in fraud case

Milan magistrates invited Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi for questioning in a probe into whether he tried to bribe a witness in a fraud case, but he declined to turn up, judicial sources said yesterday.

Mr Berlusconi's lawyer Niccolo Ghedini said the news that the Prime Minister had been invited this month to answer prosecutors' questions - published on the front page of leading daily Corriere della Sera - was leaked as a political tactic against him as Italy moves towards elections next spring.

Under Italian law, prosecutors can either invite or summon a person to answer questions. A person who is invited has the right not to appear.

Magistrates have been investigating since March whether Mr Berlusconi offered money to David Mills, husband of British Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell, to prevent him from revealing details of his dealings with the prime minister's media empire.

Mr Mills has denied wrongdoing. His lawyer was not available for comment yesterday.