Italy's isolation puts Berlusconi in spotlight

Berlusconi faces a rough ride at Laeken

By Paola Buonadonna

Italy's opposition to proposals for an EU arrest warrant means its Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, has another uncomfortable international summit to look forward to.

Fellow EU leaders have promised him a rough ride at the Laeken European Council next week, unless Italy drops its objections.

He has already been criticised for his diplomatic style in the war on terrorism - which led to friction at the recent Ghent summit - and his handling of the Genoa summit.

For the first time in half a century of European integration Italy has found itself out on a limb and unable to compromise

EU justice and home affairs ministers were meant to finalise and polish the proposal on Thursday - just a formality before the leaders' summit.

But for the first time in half a century of European integration Italy has found itself out on a limb and unprepared to compromise.

It is so isolated that other European leaders have not even bothered to quash speculation that Mr Berlusconi has personal reasons for fearing a Europe-wide arrest warrant covering fraud and corruption.

Baltazar Garzon has begun to investigate Berlusconi's affairs

The business tycoon turned politician has spent a decade in his home country fighting criminal investigations into his business activities.

Recently ambitious judges elsewhere, such as Baltazar Garzon of Spain, have had a go poking into his financial interests which spread over many countries.

The proposed warrant could increase the threat.

But opposition to the European arrest warrant is by no means suspicious in itself.

Civil liberties campaigners and MEPs have long complained, so far in vain, that the measure is being railroaded through the countries' statute books without sufficient debate or democratic scrutiny.

Italy's stubborn opposition to the warrant comes on the back of attacks by Mr Berlusconi on the judiciary in his own country

They are also concerned about a potential rise in miscarriages of justice and want more protection for defendants who are arrested in one country and shipped to another at the request of a foreign judge without the need for any evidence of guilt.

But Italy's stubborn opposition to the warrant comes on the back of attacks by Mr Berlusconi on the judiciary in his own country.

He has accused the Italian judges investigating his activities of being left-wing and having political motives to seek his downfall.

This is not an accusation that can be easily extended to other EU judges without sounding ridiculous.

It is doubtful if Italy will be able to withstand the pressure leaders will exert in Laeken

Sweeping reforms of the country's justice system announced by Mr Berlusconi have also worried Italian commentators.

Judges are so worried that the governing body of their National Association resigned en masse this week - the first time they had done so since 1924, when the gesture was prompted by the assassination of one of their members by Mussolini's Fascists.

It is doubtful whether Italy will be able to withstand the pressure Germany's Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and other leaders will exert in Laeken.

The price to pay might be too high. Italy's diplomatic standing would be dramatically reduced if it put itself at odds with the EU.

It would also be difficult for Mr Berlusconi to explain to his voters why Europe should not be given a powerful tool to fight the war on terrorism from within its own borders.

Paola Buonadonna is an Italian journalist working in London