Italian Parliament Approves Latest Austerity Plan

 　　The Italian government has overwhelmingly won a crucial parliamentary vote of confidence Friday over an austerity package intended to help the third largest economy in the eurozone get its finances in order.

　　The lower house of parliament voted 495-88 in favor of a nearly $40 billion austerity package Friday, with the upper house voting next week.

　　Prime Minister Mario Monti's technocratic¹ government has broad support in both houses and has pushed through a series of tax hikes, spending cuts and pension reform to bring Italy's budget in line by 2013.

　　Democratic Party lawmaker Livia Turco said her party had supported the measure after pressing for changes to make it more fair.

　　"We think that the austerity package that Prime Minister Monti has presented is necessary because - as it is well-known in the whole world - Italy is particularly at risk in this crisis," she said. "We gave our contribution as democratic party, so this package would be more fair, so we have tried to protect the weaker parts of the population."

　　But Claudio D'Amico of the Northern League complained that residents of northern Italy are being asked to pay too much.

　　"Because we believe that this government is not serving the interests of the whole country and, above all, of all the citizens in the north who have paid and with this austerity package they will have to pay even more," he said.

　　Monti was appointed last month to replace longtime Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

　　Berlusconi stepped down just before Italy began considering the austerity measures to avoid a debt crisis.

　　Anger over the austerity measures also sparked security concerns Friday.

　　Italian police said they intercepted² several threatening letters sent to Prime Minister Mario Monti, other government officials and the editors of several major newspapers.

　　Police said in addition to the threat, each letter also contained a single bullet. The letters were signed by a group calling itself the Armed Proletarian Movement.

　　On Monday, police in Rome discovered two suspicious packages mailed to Italy's justice minister and the mayor of Rome.  Authorities said the packages, discovered at Rome postal³ facilities, contained bullets.

1 technocratic   

adj.由技术专家官员组成的；受技术官僚影响的

参考例句：

• But there is method in Europe's technocratic madness, the official went on. 但欧洲的专家政治论者的愤怒是有原因的，这个位官员接着说道。 来自互联网
• Mr Juppé was floored in part by his contemptuous, technocratic attitude towards union leaders. 朱佩对工会领导蛮横与不屑，是导致他一败涂地的部分原因。 来自互联网

2 intercepted   

拦截( intercept的过去式和过去分词 )； 截住； 截击； 拦阻

参考例句：

• Reporters intercepted him as he tried to leave the hotel. 他正要离开旅馆，记者们把他拦截住了。
• Reporters intercepted him as he tried to leave by the rear entrance. 他想从后门溜走，记者把他截住了。

3 postal   

adj.邮政的，邮局的

参考例句：

• A postal network now covers the whole country.邮路遍及全国。
• Remember to use postal code.勿忘使用邮政编码。