AFP - Italy's lower house of parliament Thursday approved an unpopular austerity package totalling 25 billion euros (32 billion dollars) aimed at bringing the public deficit under control and reassuring markets. Sponsored by the centre-right government of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, the law passed by 321 to 270 votes, with four abstentions. The law was approved by the Senate two weeks ago and was the object of a confidence vote on Wednesday.
Sponsored by the centre-right government of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, the law passed by 321 to 270 votes, with four abstentions.
The law was approved by the Senate two weeks ago and was the object of a confidence vote on Wednesday.
Greek truckers were to meet with the government on Friday in an attempt to bring an end to a strike that has paralyzed the country and disrupted fuel supplies in the middle of the busy summer tourism season. Greece's 33,000 protesting truck and fuel-tanker owners walked off the job on Monday to protest against a proposed reduction in new license charges. Athens says the move will help liberalize the freight sector and open the industry to more competition by September, a key part of the reforms outlined in the 110-billion-euro ($144-billion-dollar) European Union/International Monetary Fund bailout for the debt-ridden country. Truckers say the plan is unfair to existing operators, who have already paid high start-up fees, in some cases as much as 300,000 euros ($390,000).
Greek truckers were to meet with the government on Friday in an attempt to bring an end to a strike that has paralyzed the country and disrupted fuel supplies in the middle of the busy summer tourism season.
Greece's 33,000 protesting truck and fuel-tanker owners walked off the job on Monday to protest against a proposed reduction in new license charges. Athens says the move will help liberalize the freight sector and open the industry to more competition by September, a key part of the reforms outlined in the 110-billion-euro ($144-billion-dollar) European Union/International Monetary Fund bailout for the debt-ridden country.
Truckers say the plan is unfair to existing operators, who have already paid high start-up fees, in some cases as much as 300,000 euros ($390,000).
