Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Economy Minister Giulio Tremonti (L) attend a news conference in Rome in an October 8, 2008 file photo. Italian newspapers said on October 23, 2009 that Tremonti was considering resigning over Berlusconi's surprise announcement of tax cuts, but a source close to Tremonti said he would not quit. Il Giornale, owned by Berlusconi's family, and best-selling Corriere della Sera ran front-page stories saying Tremonti, the leading advocate of budget discipline in the cabinet, was taken unaware by Thursday's decision to scrap a regional business tax. Reuters Pictures 1 month ago

Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Economy Minister Giulio Tremonti (L) attend a news conference in Rome in an October 8, 2008 file photo. Italian newspapers said on October 23, 2009 that Tremonti was considering resigning over Berlusconi's surprise announcement of tax cuts, but a source close to Tremonti said he would not quit. Il Giornale, owned by Berlusconi's family, and best-selling Corriere della Sera ran front-page stories saying Tremonti, the leading advocate of budget discipline in the cabinet, was taken unaware by Thursday's decision to scrap a regional business tax.

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  1. Italy's Economy Minister Giulio Tremonti arrives at the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) meeting at IMF headquarters in Washington in an April 25, 2009 file photo. Italian newspapers said on October 23, 2009 that Tremonti was considering resigning over Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's surprise announcement of tax cuts, but a source close to Tremonti said he would not quit. Il Giornale, owned by Berlusconi's family, and best-selling Corriere della Sera ran front-page stories saying Tremonti, the leading advocate of budget discipline in the cabinet, was taken unaware by Thursday's decision to scrap a regional business tax.
  2. Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Economy Minister Giulio Tremonti (L) attend a news conference in Rome in an October 8, 2008 file photo. Italian newspapers said on October 23, 2009 that Tremonti was considering resigning over Berlusconi's surprise announcement of tax cuts, but a source close to Tremonti said he would not quit. Il Giornale, owned by Berlusconi's family, and best-selling Corriere della Sera ran front-page stories saying Tremonti, the leading advocate of budget discipline in the cabinet, was taken unaware by Thursday's decision to scrap a regional business tax.
  3. Italan Finance Minister Giulio Tremonti (C) arrives late to pose for a family picture with European Ministers of Finance during the informal ECOFIN meeting at the Eriksberghallen on October 1, 2009 in Gothenburg. European countries met on today to kickstart plans to end economic pump priming, but hesitated to commit to fixed dates for a coordinated exit stategy tackling bloated deficits.
  4. Italian Minister of Economy and Finance Giulio Tremonti (R) speaks with Luc Frieden (L), Luxembourg's Minister of the Treasury, following a family photo after the Eurogroup working session alongside the informal ECOFIN meeting at the Eriksberghallen in Gothenburg on October 1, 2009. European countries met today to kickstart plans to end economic pump priming, but hesitated to commit to fixed dates for a coordinated exit stategy tackling bloated deficits.
  5. EU Commissioner in charge of Economy and Monetary Affairs Joaquim Almunia (L) fixes the tie of Italian Finance Minister Giulio Tremonti (C) under the sight of Spanish Minister of Economy and Finance Elena Salgado (R) before the group photo of ministers of Finance during the informal ECOFIN meeting at the Eriksberghallen in Gothenburg on October 1, 2009. European countries met on today to kickstart plans to end economic pump priming, but hesitated to commit to fixed dates for a coordinated exit stategy tackling bloated deficits.
  6. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble (L) talks with Italian counterpart Giulio Tremonti (R) at the start of an Eurogroup finance meeting at the EU Council in Brussels December 1, 2009.
  7. European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet (L) talks with Italian Finance Minister Giulio Tremonti (R) at the start of an Eurogroup finance ministers meeting at the EU Council in Brussels December 1, 2009.
  8. Italy's Economy Minister Giulio Tremonti attends a signing of government and commercial agreements between Italy and Turkmenistan at the Chigi Palace in Rome November 25, 2009. Italian oil and gas group Eni is interested in a project to build a pipeline carrying gas from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan to India and Pakistan though not right now, Chief Executive Paolo Scaroni said.
  9. ROME - NOVEMBER 16: Libyan leader Muammar El-Gheddafi, delivers a speech during the opening of the World Summit for Food Security 2009 organised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on November 16, 2009 in Rome, Italy. The summit runs from November 16 until November 18 and will see the participation of more than 60 heads of state and government.
  10. ROME - NOVEMBER 16: Libyan leader Muammar El-Gheddafi, delivers a speech during the opening of the World Summit for Food Security 2009 organised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on November 16, 2009 in Rome, Italy. The summit runs from November 16 until November 18 and will see the participation of more than 60 heads of state and government.
  11. ROME - NOVEMBER 16: Libyan leader Muammar El-Gheddafi, delivers a speech during the opening of the World Summit for Food Security 2009 organised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on November 16, 2009 in Rome, Italy. The summit runs from November 16 until November 18 and will see the participation of more than 60 heads of state and government.
  12. ROME - NOVEMBER 16: Libyan leader Muammar El-Gheddafi, delivers a speech during the opening of the World Summit for Food Security 2009 organised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on November 16, 2009 in Rome, Italy. The summit runs from November 16 until November 18 and will see the participation of more than 60 heads of state and government.
  13. ROME - NOVEMBER 16: Libyan leader Muammar El-Gheddafi, delivers a speech during the opening of the World Summit for Food Security 2009 organised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on November 16, 2009 in Rome, Italy. The summit runs from November 16 until November 18 and will see the participation of more than 60 heads of state and government.
  14. Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi (C) talks during a news conference at Chigi palace in Rome October 9, 2009. When Italy's Constitutional Court ruled this week that the prime minister was not above the law, invalidating a tailor-made statute granting him immunity from prosecution, Berlusconi's reaction was to attack its members, and President Giorgio Napolitano, as leftists biased against him.
  15. Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi (R) speaks next Vatican Secretary of State Italian cardinal Tarcisio Bertone during the opening of a painting exhibition in Rome October 7, 2009.
  16. Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi (L) and Vatican Secretary of State Italian cardinal Tarcisio Bertone pose during the opening of a painting exhibition in Rome October 7, 2009.

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