The bar could drop from 3 to 1,5%, or maybe something more, but still no more than 1,8%. This is the new limit that the government would like to include in the notorious article 19 of the legislative decree on tax evasion, now known as the new Berlusconi-saving provision. To date, the law provides for the exclusion of punishment "when the amount of tax on evaded income does not exceed 3% of the declared taxable income" and, formulated in this way, could cancel the crime for which the former Premier was convicted in final four-year term, allowing him to reapply immediately.
The rule, designed to lighten the criminal burden on unfaithful declarations, would however also be applicable to more serious crimes such as tax fraud. Hence the stop imposed by Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and the new assessment of the entire provision which will return to the council of ministers. At first, Renzi's staff Renzi had thought of explicitly excluding the most serious crimes (such as the tax fraud for which the Forza Italia leader was convicted), but not changing the 3% threshold. This alternative, however, now seems discarded. To avoid disagreements with Fi, especially in view of the approaching election of the new President of the Republic, the executive would seem oriented towards extending the time horizon of the delegation, which expires in March. Basically, more time to review the text of the measure.
Meanwhile, yesterday a tussle broke out in the Chamber over article 19 between the Democratic Party and the 5 Star Movement. “Renzi has just admitted that he had him insert the obscene rule to save Berlusconi – said grillino Alessandro Di Battista -. He is protecting someone. And who is protecting Verdini. He's the one who introduced the standard. It is Berlusconi who governs, not Renzi, and Berlusconi asks Verdini for results. We are in 2015, we hope to be the last year in which we have to denounce this crap in the Chamber".
For the Pd Walter Verini replied: “The decree was made to fight tax evasion, not to favor someone, and I believe that anyone who insists on this point is bad faith. Another thing is to discuss the merits of the decree, and the commissions will have every opportunity to do so".
In any case, it is still "yellow" on who actually wrote and inserted the four contested lines of article 19 in the decree.
Lastly, the Treasury denies "alleged news" from the Dagospia.com website according to which Franco Coppi, Silvio Berlusconi's lawyer, "participated in a meeting at the Ministry of Economy relating to tax reform". This news, underlines the Treasury, "is destitute of any foundation and exclusive fruit of imagination or the will to defamation, for which the existence of the details for legal action will be assessed".
