Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has gone back on trial in Milan in a case alleging tax fraud involving his Mediaset business empire.
Mr Berlusconi did not appear in court.
The trial was suspended in April 2010 because of a law, now partially struck down, granting him temporary immunity.
Mr Berlusconi, (74) has denied all the allegations against him. He argues that he has been targeted as part of a left-wing campaign by Milan magistrates.
He said he is "the biggest legal defendant in the history of the universe."
"My agenda is quite full at the moment as I have to attend five judicial hearings in the next 11 days," he told a group of business leaders at a conference in Milan today.
Mr Berlusconi has spent "more than 600 billion Italian lira," or roughly €311 million defending himself and his companies against legal action since entering politics in 1994, he said.
The premier didn't respond to a subpoena to appear today at the resumption of a trial for tax fraud involving his Mediaset television company.
His lawyers also failed to present the court with a reason for his absence, which according to Italian law may be excused if judges decide that the premier's official duties conflict with the hearing.
Mr Berlusconi's lawyer, Niccolo Ghedini, said today that his client faces an "unprecedented" number of trials for a prime minister.
Mr Berlusconi denies any wrongdoing in all the cases.
Mr Berlusconi is due to attend a hearing for a separate procedure for tax fraud in purchasing film rights for Mediatrade, a Mediaset unit.
On March 11th, he is scheduled to face a different Milan court where he stands accused of allegedly paying €430,000 to UK lawyer David Mills to lie under oath.
On April 6th there will be the first hearing of the trial that sees him indicted for allegedly having paid to have sex with a minor and abusing his office.
Mr Berlusconi said he "never paid" for sex and that the allegations, partly based on wiretapping, convinced him to move ahead with an overhaul of the justice system.
Agencies