Tuesday, 6 September 2011

Italians launch general strike against austerity

Italians strike against austerity


Tens of thousands of Italians have taken to the streets during a day-long strike against the government's latest austerity measures.

Flights, trains and buses were cancelled, and government offices shut.

The government has faced criticism over a 45bn-euro (£40bn) austerity package, and has been scrambling to revise it.

Some measures have been scrapped or watered down, but on Tuesday new additions were made - including a sales tax hike and revised wealth tax.

The sales tax is due to rise from 20% to 21% in the latest version of the austerity bill, while a 3% tax will be proposed for those earning more than 300,000 euros, the government said.

A constitutional requirement to balance the budget and changes to the retirement age will also be inserted.

Almost daily revisions of government plans, endless public discussion of every twist and turn, and increasing alarm among Italy's European neighbours, have put Italy right at the centre of the eurozone crisis, says the BBC's Mark Duff in Milan.

Millions of ordinary Italians are returning from their August summer holidays to an ever more uncertain future, he adds.

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bush cite3

At this Thursday, ticket counters and airplanes will fly outta Ronald Reagan Airport.