Italy`s agriculture minister resigns, blow to govt

Rome: Italian state TV says the country`s agriculture minister has resigned from Premier Enrico Letta`s tense coalition government.

LaPresse news agency quoted Nunzia De Girolamo as saying in a statement yesterday night she felt the government didn`t sufficiently defend her "honour" in a recent embarrassing flap. De Girolamo had been heard using vulgarities while talking about alleged pressures for contracts involving a public health office in southern Italy. She isn`t under investigation, but claims her conversation was illegally taped in her home by a suspect in a probe of the contracts. De Girolamo, from a junior coalition party, recently proclaimed her innocence in Parliament. But many lawmakers, including some backing the government, didn`t show up to hear her speech. She is the second minister to resign from the 9-month-old government.