Italy left in crisis by Berlusconi's veto of EU rapid arrest warrants

The Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, came under unprecedented pressure yesterday to accept proposals for a wide-ranging European arrest warrant, which Italy alone is blocking.

The Italian press, his European counterparts and even members of his own government attacked his unilateral refusal to sign up to the EU's fast-track arrest warrant, which covers a range of serious crimes from terrorism to corruption, arguing that Italy's national interests would be threatened by the change. Opposition parties have accused Mr Berlusconi of putting his interests above those of Italy and trying to protect himself from possible future legal action over his massive business empire.

The possibility that its European partners would press ahead with the plan regardless has caused shock in Italy, traditionally one of the EU's most ardent supporters. "Prime Minister Berlusconi, have a change of heart. Don't isolate Italy from the rest of Europe," the country's leading newspaper, Corriere della Sera, pleaded. The Foreign Minister, Renato Ruggiero, is urging an agreement and has reportedly threatened to resign if Mr Berlusconi continues to hold out. "If we do not find a compromise, it would be the first time that Italy would be isolated over a major step forward already agreed by the rest of the EU," Mr Ruggiero said.

The Belgian Prime Minister, Guy Verhofstadt, is due to visit Rome on Tuesday to discuss the crisis with Mr Berlusconi. While the rest of the EU agreed to introduce a list of 32 crimes for the arrest warrant, Italy insisted on leaving off such items as corruption and fraud. Germany defined Italy's position as "shameful"; Portugal described it as "extremely serious" and Britain said it was "incomprehensible".

Mr Berlusconi's many critics say he is worried that foreign magistrates might use the new arrest warrant to try to extradite him over alleged corruption in his far-reaching media empire.In October, the Spanish judge, Baltasar Garzon – known for prosecuting Augusto Pinochet of Chile and dismantling an al-Qa'ida cell in Spain – said he was suspending attempts to investigate Mr Berlusconi for alleged tax fraud in Spain until he lost his immunity as a head of government.