The Irish government may be heading towards collapse after agreeing to a bailout from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund. Prime Minister Brian Cowen said he will call an election for early next year, but some politicians in Ireland say that's not soon enough.
随着爱尔兰同意接受欧盟和国际货币基金组织的援助计划，该国政府可能正在走向崩溃。爱尔兰总理考恩说，他将提议明年年初举行选举，但爱尔兰的一些政客说，选举的时间还不够早。
Ireland's Prime Minister Brian Cowen is facing outrage over how he has handled Ireland's economic and banking crisis. On Sunday his government requested international funding set to be worth around $100 billion to steer Ireland clear from economic collapse.
爱尔兰总理考恩面临着反对派对他在爱尔兰经济和银行危机中处理方式的不满。星期天，他的政府要求获得大约1千亿美元的国际救援资金，以将爱尔兰从经济崩溃的边缘拉回来。
Budget reductions are tied to the bailout. This week Mr. Cowen's government is to publish a four-year plan that will cut around $20 billion from the country's deficit. And early next month the 2011 budget is to be unveiled.
削减预算是接受援救计划的必要条件。这个星期，考恩政府将发表一份4年计划，将爱尔兰的预算赤字减少大约200亿美元。下个月初，2011年的预算将揭晓。
The junior party in Mr. Cowen's coalition government said it will withdraw its support for the government once that budget is passed.
在考恩联合政府中一个较小的政党说，一旦这份预算案获得通过，它就不再支持考恩政府了。
Mr. Cowen said he will not call an election until Ireland's finances are in order.
考恩说，在爱尔兰财政状况稳定之前，不会举行选举。
"We believe that there is a clear duty on all members of Dail Eiereann [Irish parliament] to facilitate the passage of these measures in the uniquely serious circumstances in which we find ourselves," said Cowen. "The political and financial stability of the state requires no less. It is my intention at the conclusion of this budgetary process, with the enactment of the necessary legislation in the new year."
他说：“我们相信，爱尔兰下议院的所有议员都有明确的责任，在我们发现情况特别严重的时候，协助这些措施获得通过。保持爱尔兰的政治和财政稳定至少需要这样做。这是我在这次预算制定过程中结论性的意向，我们将在新的一年中颁布必要的法规。”
But for some politicians in Ireland, that's not soon enough. On Tuesday, four lawmakers from one of Ireland's smaller political parties tabled a motion of no confidence in the Prime Minister.
但对于爱尔兰的一些政客而言，这些措施不够及时。星期二，爱尔兰一个规模较小的政党的4名议员抛出了一份不信任总理的动议。
Richard Boyd Barrett is a political activist with the Ireland-based group People Before Profit. He said Mr. Cowen should go now.
博伊德-巴雷特是爱尔兰“人民高于利润”组织的政治活动家。他说，考恩现在就应该走人。
"It is outrageous that they're talking about having an election after they have done the deal with the IMF and tied the country into a four-year austerity plan, which will essentially tie the hands of any incoming government," said Boyd Barrett. "So of course he should step down immediately, we should have an election immediately before any deal is done with the IMF or any budget is delivered."
他说：“令人无法容忍的是，他们正在讨论，在与国际货币基金组织达成协议，并将爱尔兰纳入一个为期4年的紧缩计划后，才进行选举。紧缩计划将绑住下一届政府的手脚。因此，考恩理所当然应该立即下台，我们应该在与国际货币基金组织达成协议或进行任何预算措施前，立即进行选举。”
The government is expected to cut the minimum wage and social welfare spending, among other measures.
政府预计会采取其它措施降低最低工资，并削减社会福利开支。
Boyd Barrett said those cuts are going to hurt Ireland's most vulnerable citizens. And, he said, they're not the ones who should be paying out.
博伊德-巴雷特说，削减这些开支对爱尔兰民众伤害最深。他说，他们不是应该付出代价的人。
"I think the Irish people are being misled about the nature of the bailout. They are being told that it's a bailout of the Irish people. In reality it's a bailout of the French banks, the German banks, the British banks, and our own banks. And ordinary people in this country - working people, pensioners, students, the vulnerable in our society - are being asked to pick up the gambling debts of the international financial system in Europe and that's absolutely outrageous and unacceptable."
他说：“我认为，爱尔兰人民被援救计划的实质误导了。他们被告知，这是为了援救爱尔兰人民。事实上，这是在援救法国、德国、英国和我们自己的银行。爱尔兰的普通人，工薪阶层、领取养老金的人，学生、社会上的弱势群体，都被要求捡起欧洲国际金融体系欠下的赌债，这完全是荒谬和不可接受的。”
Ireland is the second euro zone country to receive a bailout in just six months. Earlier this year Greece was awarded a $110 billion loan from the European Union and the IMF. On Tuesday it was approved for a third round of funding, although auditors said more work needs to be done to sort out public finances, including lowering wages and making the healthcare system more efficient.
爱尔兰是仅仅6个月中第二个接受援助的欧元区国家。今年早些时候，希腊从欧盟和国际货币基金组织获得了1千1百亿美元的贷款。星期二，希腊被批准获得第三轮援助资金，尽管审计人员说，希腊需要进一步努力，理顺公共财政，包括降低工资，提高医疗保障系统的效率。
In Ireland, Unions have organized a march on Saturday to protest the planned economic measures. An estimated 80,000 people are expected to turn up.
在爱尔兰，工会将在星期六组织一次游行，抗议计划实施的经济措施。预计将有8万人参加这次游行。 |