(Italy)Southern Poor Force Nuclear Dump U-turn

[DUreader]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/italy/story/0,12576,1095234,00.html





Silvio Berlusconi's government was hounded into
an embarrassing about-turn last night by some of
Italy's poorest and least influential citizens.

Faced with protests in southern Italy, ministers
withdrew a decree to dump the country's nuclear
waste on the town of Scanzano Jonico in the
region of Basilicata.

Last night's cabinet meeting was reportedly
heated, with the environment minister, Altero
Matteoli, under fire.

Mr Berlusconi was quoted as telling his ministers:
"We've provoked a popular uprising."

By yesterday, the whole of Matera, the province in
which Scanzano Jonico is located, was on strike.