VOA标准英语2008年-Italy's Government Proposes Immunity Bill for T

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government has proposed legislation that would give immunity¹ to the country's top officials while they are in office. The opposition² says the bill, which would still need to be approved by parliament, is aimed at protecting Mr. Berlusconi from prosecution³. For VOA, Sabina Castelfranco reports from Rome.
　
Silvio Berlusconi (file)

The immunity bill proposed by the government is a revised version of a 2003 law which at the time briefly⁴ halted Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's corruption⁵ trial before the Constitutional Court ruled that the law was unconstitutional.

This time the bill is likely to be approved swiftly by both houses of parliament, where the ruling center-right government, has solid majorities. Cabinet members, such as Justice Minister, Angelino Alfano, have also expressed the hope that the opposition may not vote against the bill.

Alfano said it is a proposal regulating the relations between Italy's top state officials and the courts during the time they are in office and therefore it should receive widespread parliamentary backing.

Alfano insisted that the legislation will allow top officials to carry out their jobs without worries. Defense⁶ Minister Ignazio La Russa defended the bill saying the new version takes into account all possible objections.

La Russa complimented the justice minister saying he had done a very through job to prepare a bill that cannot be criticized for being unconstitutional.

The bill would effectively grant immunity from prosecution for the Italian president, the prime minister and the speakers of both houses of parliament. It would also freeze the statute⁷ of limitations while the officials are in office.

But members of the opposition were quick to criticize the cabinet's move and said it was an effort to protect Berlusconi, who is currently a defendant⁸ in a corruption trial in Milan.

Anna Finocchiaro of the opposition Democratic Party said this bill should not be valid⁹ until the next legislature because Italy would have in place a system that creates laws for the personal interest of the prime minister. She added that it would be less risk for Silvio Berlusconi to face his trial serenely¹⁰.

Antonio di Pietro, a former magistrate¹¹, who is one of Berluconi's fiercest critics, said his Italy of Values party would put up the stiffest opposition to the immunity bill.

He said members of his party would re-propose a referendum because citizens must be given a say on whether it is right that those who govern do not undergo trial if they are suspected of having being involved in corruption.

Berlusconi, who has been dogged by legal troubles for 15 years, has been in a long-standing confrontation¹² with the judiciary. The battle erupted again this week when the prime minister said some magistrates¹³ were politically driven and called them a cancer of democracy.

　

 

1 immunity   

n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权

参考例句：

• The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
• He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。

2 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

3 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

4 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

5 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

6 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

7 statute   

n.成文法，法令，法规；章程，规则，条例

参考例句：

• Protection for the consumer is laid down by statute.保障消费者利益已在法令里作了规定。
• The next section will consider this environmental statute in detail.下一部分将详细论述环境法令的问题。

8 defendant   

n.被告；adj.处于被告地位的

参考例句：

• The judge rejected a bribe from the defendant's family.法官拒收被告家属的贿赂。
• The defendant was borne down by the weight of evidence.有力的证据使被告认输了。

9 valid   

adj.有确实根据的；有效的；正当的，合法的

参考例句：

• His claim to own the house is valid.他主张对此屋的所有权有效。
• Do you have valid reasons for your absence?你的缺席有正当理由吗？

10 serenely   

adv.安详地，宁静地，平静地

参考例句：

• The boat sailed serenely on towards the horizon.小船平稳地向着天水交接处驶去。
• It was a serenely beautiful night.那是一个宁静美丽的夜晚。

11 magistrate   

n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官

参考例句：

• The magistrate committed him to prison for a month.法官判处他一个月监禁。
• John was fined 1000 dollars by the magistrate.约翰被地方法官罚款1000美元。

12 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

13 magistrates   

地方法官，治安官( magistrate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• to come up before the magistrates 在地方法院出庭
• He was summoned to appear before the magistrates. 他被传唤在地方法院出庭。