Finnivest, a holding company of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, said Saturday it was preparing to sue The Economist magazine after it raised questions over the premier’s involvement in a series of dodgy dealings.

Finnivest said the weekly had mounted a “hostile campaign” to discredit the Italian government and damage the reputation of “one of the most experienced and brilliant businessmen of the past quarter of a century.”

In the “open letter,” published in its Aug 2 issue, The Economist accused the multimillionaire of bribing a judge to get his way in a business deal.

Mr Berlusconi is already suing the magazine over claims made two years ago that he was “unfit to lead Italy.”

The magazine said it held “a substantial dossier” detailing Mr Berlusconi’s alleged misdemeanours.

It has demanded Mr Berlusconi to respond.

The Economist’s scorching editorial said Mr Berlusconi’s premiership symbolised the “most extreme case of the abuse by a capitalist of the democracy within which he lives and operates.”