Italian authorities closed down a government website that for a few hours showed millions of tax declarations, after a storm of protests.
The tax agency, part of the finance ministry, opened up access to the website on Wednesday saying it was part of an official effort to increase 'transparency'.
The site was found by a citizens' group, rumours about its existence spread on the Internet and soon it was jammed by people trying to look up the 2005 declarations of neighbours and the rich and famous.
Tax authorities decided to close down the site following an emergency meeting caused by protests over the release of the details.
Forty million individual returns were posted, with the La Stampa newspaper publishing those of leading figures from the world's of fashion, sport and the arts.
Top of the list with €44m in revenues and €19m in taxes paid in 2005 was Giorgio Armani. Footballer Christian Vieri headed the sports list with revenues of €22m, while Oscar-winning film actor and director Roberto Benigni led in his field with €3.5m revenues.
'All I did was follow the law,' protested Vincenzo Visco, deputy finance minister of the outgoing centre-left government, who added that 1972 legislation already allows any citizen to access the same details if requested in person at national or local tax offices.
