Italian President dissolves parliament after Monti resignsDecember 23, 2012 - 15:12 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Italian President Giorgio Napolitano on Saturday, Dec 22, dissolved the country's parliament, following the resignation of Prime Minister Mario Monti, according to CNN. New elections will be held on February 24-25, according to a statement posted on the president's website. Monti was appointed prime minister last year after the resignation of former premier Silvio Berlusconi. He has not indicated whether he will run in the new elections, while Berlusconi says he will. Monti resigned Friday after Parliament approved the budget. An economist and former European commissioner, Monti was appointed by Napolitano after Berlusconi stepped down under pressure for failing to control Italy's debt and a series of scandals. Since then, international investors have displayed confidence in the country's finances. Italy's borrowing costs have fallen this year on Monti's efforts to bring down borrowing and the improved sentiment generated by the European Central Bank's conditional scheme to buy bonds of struggling sovereigns. Berlusconi has criticized Monti's austerity policies as damaging to the country. Berlusconi's party, the People of Freedom, is the largest in parliament. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Putin congratulates Pashinyan’s birthday Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his birthday on June 1. Opposition motorcade en route to Gyumri for large rally A motorcade of protesters headed by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan is heading to the city of Gyumri. Ruling MPs, Foreign Minister talk Armenia-Azerbaijan processes MOs from the ruling Civil Contract party met with the Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in the Armenian parliament. Russia: Armenia’s frozen membership weakens CSTO position in Caucasus A Russian envoy said any step that could alienate the CSTO member states from each other is “deeply wrong”. |