Truce is reached on Italian budget
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.ROME (Reuter) - Italian trade unions met the Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, yesterday to discuss pensions reforms and said the government had shown flexibility on how to slash state spending next year.
Sergio Cofferati, the leader of the CGIL, Italy's largest union confederation, said that 'the meeting was positive. The government said it was ready to modify the make-up of the 1995 budget plan'. A government statement on the talks, which followed union threats of a 'hot autumn' of strikes unless budget plans were rewritten, confirmed that the cabinet still intended to cut the 1995 deficit by at least 45 trillion lire ( pounds 19bn).
The statement confirmed Mr Berlusconi's commitment to no new taxes and said the government hoped to claw back money by tackling tax evasion, a union demand, and reducing public sector waste to keep the deficit to a targeted 138.6 trillion lire ( pounds 58.2bn).
The government plan called for 15 trillion lire ( pounds 6.3bn) of higher revenue and spending cuts of 30 trillion lire ( pounds 12.6bn). The government has previously said it hopes to save at least 8 trillion lire ( pounds 3.3bn) through structural reform of Italy's generous state pension system.
Despite the positive mood after the Berlusconi meeting and an agreement to reconvene next Monday, union leaders said they had not dropped their strike threat. Sergio D'Antoni, of the CISL union, said: 'If expressions of flexibility regarding our demands are followed by facts, then fine. If not, we'll draw what conclusions we have to.'
Mr Berlusconi has promised the budget law will be submitted to parliament by the end of September. Unions say they do not dispute the overall savings figure but disagree with the balance between savings and cuts.
The Italian employers' body, Confindustria, whose chairman Luigi Abete also met Mr Berlusconi, welcomed the government's methods and objectives.
PALERMO (Reuter) - Magistrates are questioning drug company officials arrested for alleged fraud in the latest multi-million-pound scandal to hit Italy's health service, judicial sources said. The officials are suspected of overcharging hospitals.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments