House approves cutting vitalizi

(ANSA) - Rome, July 12 - The Lower House on Thursday approved cutting 'vitalizi' parliamentary pensions. The Speaker's office OK'd a deliberation from Speaker Roberto Fico of the anti-establishment 5-Star MOvement (M5S).
    M5S leader, Labour and Industry Minister and Deputy Premier Luigi Di Maio said "today is a historic day".
    "At last it has arrived, today is the day that Italians had been waiting for 60 years, the historic moment which we have gifted our citizens after 100 days of government," Di Maio said.
    The vitalizi were seen as a symbol of unacceptable privilege on the part of former MPs, who got large pensions even after attending parliament for a very short time.
    The M5S had vowed to cut them for some time.
    Di Maio also said that so-called 'golden pensions' above 4,000 euros a month would be cut.
    He said they would be cut "for those who have not paid in enough contributions".