ITALY: CENTRE-RIGHT OPPOSITION PARTY LEADERS ADDRESS PROTEST RALLY AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT'S 1997 AUSTERITY BUDGET
Record ID:
496468
ITALY: CENTRE-RIGHT OPPOSITION PARTY LEADERS ADDRESS PROTEST RALLY AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT'S 1997 AUSTERITY BUDGET
- Title: ITALY: CENTRE-RIGHT OPPOSITION PARTY LEADERS ADDRESS PROTEST RALLY AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT'S 1997 AUSTERITY BUDGET
- Date: 9th November 1996
- Summary: ROME, ITALY (SEPTEMBER 9, 1996) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. LV STAGE WITH CENTRE-RIGHT OPPOSITION PARTY LEADERS ROCCO BUTTIGLIONE, PIER FERNANDO CASINI, SILVIO BERLUSCONI AND GIANFRANCO FINI/ CROWDS WITH FLAGS (2 SHOTS) 0.11 2. SV NATIONAL ALLIANCE PARTY LEADER GIANFRANCO FINI ADDRESSING RALLY "THIS IS THE SQUARE FOR WORK, FOR THE CENTRAL RIGHT AND OF THE FREEDOM ALLIANCE" (ITALIAN) 0.19 3. LV/SV CROWD APPLAUDS/ CENTRE-RIGHT OPPOSITION PARTY LEADERS JOIN HANDS (8 SHOTS) 0.46 4. SV FORZA ITALIA PARTY LEADER SILVIO BERLUSCONI ADDRESSING RALLY SAYS "THIS BUDGET IS A DESTRUCTIVE BUDGET BECAUSE IT WILL REDUCE SPENDING, REDUCE PRODUCTIVITY AND WILL RESULT IN THE CLOSING DOWN OF FACTORIES AND WORKSHOPS. NOW IT IS THE REFOUND COMMUNISTS THAT HAVE ENTERED AND TAKEN OVER PARLIAMENT. (ITALIAN) (2 SHOTS) 1.12 5. LV/SV CROWD APPLAUDING (3 SHOTS) 1.23 6. TV "COFFIN WITH BANNER READING 'HERE LIES WORK' CARRIED BY THE CROWD 1.34 7. LV CROWD/ FOUR CENTRE-RIGHT OPPOSITION LEADERS GREET THE CROWDS AND THROW FLOWERS (8 SHOTS) 2.16 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
- Embargoed: 24th November 1996 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: ROME, ITALY
- City:
- Country: Italy
- Reuters ID: LVA2P4WSSHVFN59FD224FSQG8IDG
- Story Text: INTRO: Hundreds of thousands of Italians marched through Rome on Saturday (September 9) to protest at the government's 1997 austerity budget as former premier Silvio Berlusconi and his allies said Italian democracy was at risk.
Centre-left Prime Minister Romano Prodi's austerity budget aims to slash 62.5 trillion lire (41 billion dollars U.S.) from the deficit next year to meet the level needed for membership in Europe's economic and monetary union.
The package contains fresh taxes including a one-off "Euro Tax" designed to bring in some 12 trillion (7.8 million dollars U.S.) to help Italy be part of monetary union scheduled for 1999.
"We ask that this 'Euro Tax', which will be never get us into Europe anyway, be abolished," Berlusconi said.
The centre-right opposition kicked off the mass protest in two spots, at the southern Via Tuscolana and near the Vatican in the northwest, before converging on the central Piazza San Giovanni in Laterno.
When the centre-right leaders reached the piazza, they raised their fists in triumph to the cheering crowd.
One protester, dressed as Prodi with a long Pinocchio nose, told televison: "Being Prodi, I can promise all Italians that I will absolutely not raise taxes." Other protesters carried a coffin bearing the banner "Here lies work." The budget is now under examination in parliament's lower house. Once the Chamber of Deputies ratifies it, the bill moves to the Senate with final approval by the end of year.
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