EMERGENCIES BILL CLEARS HOUSE

EMERGENCIES BILL CLEARS HOUSE

(ANSA) - Rome, February 19 - The House on Friday passed a so-called 'emergencies' bill without the government calling a confidence vote on the measure revamping the civil protection department and funding national emergencies.

The bill, which now goes to the Senate, passed with 282 votes in favor, 246 opposed and one abstention.

Because of absenteeism on the government benches, the opposition was able to pass three motions on the bill before the vote.

For the final tally even Premier Silvio Berlusconi came to vote.

President Giorgio Napolitano expressed his satisfaction that the government did not resort to calling a confidence vote to force the measure through, as it has done 28 times since taking office 20 months ago.

The government agreed not to ask for a confidence vote after the opposition withdrew most of its amendments and promised not to filibuster during floor debate.

This in return for the government striking from the bill a measure to turn the civil protection department into a private company and one which would have granted a general immunity to government-appointed administrators who handled the recent garbage crisis in the southern Campania region.