A Spanish judge has opened the way for a criminal tax fraud investigation into Silvio Berlusconi by lifting immunity accorded to him while he was Italian prime minister, a court document said today.
Judge Baltasar Garzon said in a ruling that Mr Berlusconi can now be included in the investigation into tax fraud and illegal share dealing in Spanish TV station Telecinco, which is controlled by the Italian magnate's Mediaset group.
Mr Berlusconi, already facing trial in Italy for alleged fraud at Mediaset, got the Spanish probe suspended after he became prime minister in 2001. Several of his former business partners are already on trial in Spain in the case