Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has accused magistrates of illegally spying on him as he refused to appear before prosecutors who allege that he had sex with an under-age prostitute.
The opposition has urged Mr Berlusconi to resign over the latest sex scandal, but he said he had no intention of stepping down, keeping up his offensive against magistrates he says are biased and bent on trying to oust him from power.
Milan prosecutors allege that Mr Berlusconi paid for sex with a "significant" number of prostitutes, including a 17-year-old nightclub dancer, at parties in his villa near Milan.
Having sex with a prostitute under the age of 18 is an offence in Italy. Berlusconi denies any wrongdoing.
Leaked transcripts of phone conversations between more than 20 women who attended the parties at Mr Berlusconi's residence have been splashed on Italian newspapers for days.
But the premier said the wiretaps were part of an illegal political, judicial and media campaign to destroy him, defending his right to privacy and calling the accusations "ridiculous".
The magistrates had summoned the 74-year-old billionaire for questioning and gave him a choice of three days between Friday and Sunday.
Mr Berlusconi's lawyers sent a statement to the prosecutors on Friday contending that they do not have the right to preside over the case and informing them that the prime minister would not attend.
The lawyers say that the case should be handled instead by a special court for ministers.
Mr Berlusconi has ridden out a string of sex scandals since returning to power in 2008.
However opposition parties say the scale of the allegations has made his position untenable, while Vatican officials and media have said politicians should show morality.
In December, he narrowly survived a confidence vote after breaking up with a key former ally and lost automatic immunity from prosecution following a top court ruling last week.
