Italy cuts spending for overseas missions

ROME, July 7 (UPI) -- The Italian Cabinet voted Thursday to cut funding for overseas military missions by more than 25 percent.

The decree authorizes the spending of 700 million euros ($1 billion) for overseas military missions, the Italian news agency ANSA reported. But the government, under pressure from the Northern League, dropped 200 million euros ($287 million) in proposed spending.

The Northern League, which backs greater regional autonomy in Italy, is a key partner in Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's right-wing government.

Roberto Maroni and Roberto Calderoli, both leaders in the League and ministers in the government, hailed the vote as a victory.

Calderoli said 2,078 of the 9,950 Italian military personnel now involved in missions in Afghanistan, Lebanon, Iraq and Libya are expected to be returned to Italy by the end of the year.

That includes 100 Italian military personnel from Libya, reducing the cost of the mission from 142 million euros ($204 million) to 58 million euros ($83 million).

"For Libya the refinancing is until September 2011, so our demand has been met," he said.