The Economist challenges Berlusconi

Berlusconi says he does not read the Economist

Britain's Economist magazine has challenged Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to answer questions about a series of corruption allegations against him.

The publication says it has put together "a substantial dossier concerning his alleged misdeeds, backed up by documentary evidence", and sent it to the prime minister, calling him to respond.

At a news conference on Friday, Prime Minister Berlusconi told reporters that he does not "read that paper".

"The prime minister has other stuff to do rather than to read the Economist. His lawyers will," said a spokesman for Mr Berlusconi quoted by La Repubblica newspaper.

Mr Berlusconi who owns a media empire worth an estimated US$7.8bn has been pursued unsuccessfully on corruption charges for more than a decade.

Ongoing battle

Most recently, he has been in court for allegedly bribing judges - a trial that was halted by the introduction of controversial immunity laws.

The Economist said Mr Berlusconi "cannot be immune from the public".

"A serving prime minister should be answerable, on this argument, to the court of public opinion, not to courts of law."

In light of this, the magazine said, it was sending the dossier to the prime minister.

"We look forward to his reply," it said.

The Economist is already in a battle with Mr Berlusconi whom it claimed two years ago was "unfit to lead Italy."