The "garbage" of the Economist

Silvio Berlusconi called "garbage" the following data published by the Economist on the 26th of April 2001. Fininvest announced legal action against the british weekly... the legal offices of the Economist are still waiting.

Berlusconi's italian trials

Case Date Charge Result Sentence First appeal Final appeal
All Iberian 1996-99 Illegal financing of
political party		 Guilty 28 months jail Statute of limitations* Same as first
Fininvest and others 1996-2000 Four counts of corruption; bribing financial police Guilty 33 months jail Statute of limitations on 3 counts*. Acquitted on one count. In process
Medusa 1997-2000 False accounting Guilty 16 months jail Acquitted Decided but not yet made public
Villa Macherio 1998-99 Tax fraud Statute of limitations*   Covered by amnesty  
Fininvest holding company 1998 (1) False accounting In process      
Mondadori 2000 (2) Corruption; bribing a judge Case thrown out (3)      
Purchase of footballer 2001 False accounting        
SME 2000 Corruption; bribing judges In process      
Fininvest Group (4) False accounting        
Telecinco (in Spain)   Tax fraud, breach of antitrust laws Inquiry under way      

June 15-16th 2001: Berlusconi's debut as Prime Minister  at the meeting of the European Council  in Goteborg

From the Economist of  05/19-25/2001