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Italy senate rejects extension for watchdog bill

ROME: Italian senate president Carlo Scognamiglio rejected an upper house committee's request for more time to examine the government's bill on setting up utility watchdogs.

The Senate's Industry Committee had asked for an extra week to examine the legislation.

Political sources said the committee would meet on Thursday at 1900 GMT and would continue on Friday at 0700 GMT.

The government has said the bill is a pre-requisite for the eventual privatisation of electricity firm Enel ENEI.CN, energy holding company Eni ENTN.CN and state telecommunications giant Stet STEI.MI.

The hardline Communist Refoundation Party on Wednesday tabled around 200 amendments to the bill, repeating a raft of amendments that had been dismissed in the lower house.

The bill faces a tough battle to become law before parliament's summer recess. If any amendments are accepted by the Senate, the bill must return to the lower house for final ratification. Otherwise it becomes law.

The lower house starts its month-long break on Friday.-Reuter