Reports: Italy’s Berlusconi seeks to postpone reopening of his fraud trial in Milan

Reports: Berlusconi seeks to postpone fraud trial

ROME — Italian news reports say Premier Silvio Berlusconi is seeking to postpone the resumption of his fraud trial in Milan.

Berlusconi is accused of tax fraud in a trial over his broadcaster Mediaset’s purchase of TV rights. The premier denies wrongdoing.

The trial had been frozen thanks to a law granting immunity to Berlusconi while in office. But the legislation was overturned last month because it violates the constitution, paving the way for the trial to resume.

A hearing was scheduled Nov. 16.

But Berlusconi’s lawyers say the premier won’t be able to attend the hearing because of a world food summit in Rome then, according to the Apcom news agency.

Both Apcom and the ANSA news agency say the request was made to the Milan tribunal.