Mr Berlusconi is an embarrassment to Italy

There is nothing novel in stories about Italian corruption. However, when an Italian court declares that it has uncovered the biggest case of corruption in the post-war history of the country, it is time to take notice. Inevitably, there is a link to Italy's Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi. Mr Berlusconi's close associate, a lawyer and former defence minister named Cesare Previti, was convicted in April of corruption charges and sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Yesterday the court published its full report on the affair. It is a devastating indictment of public life in Italy. In one case, Previti, along with two other lawyers, were accused of taking a 67bn lire kickback (roughly US$35m) from the heirs of a chemical company to bribe three judges ruling on a case affecting the firm.

In the other case, the same three lawyers were accused of corrupting a judge so he would overturn a ruling that had gone against Mr Berlusconi for control of the publishing giant Mondadori. Thanks to the ruling in Berlusconi's favour, Arnoldo Mondadori Editore is now part of his media empire. The judges wrote that Previti received money from Mr Berlusconi's company Fininvest to "settle relations of an illicit nature".

Nor is this the end of Mr Previti's troubles, for he is to go on trial again in Milan on further corruption charges. His co-defendant was to be Mr Berlusconi, that is until Mr Berlusconi saw to it that the Italian parliament passed legislation granting him and other senior politicians and officials immunity from prosecution. Sadly, this measure will not protect his old ally Mr Previti.

The case may well shed yet more light on Mr Berlusconi, but he is plainly not only untouchable but unembarrassable. His recent behaviour in the European Parliament also shows that, as do the policies of his government towards immigrants, policies that should be condemned by his partners in the European Union. Instead we find our Prime Minister, Tony Blair, treating him as an trusted ally. Even before these trials, Mr Berlusconi was an embarrassment to Italy; now he is close to bringing shame upon his nation.