Spanish Parliament to vote on economic measures

MADRID (AP) - Spain's finance minister has pleaded with lawmakers to vote in favor of emergency economic measures saying they are harsh but necessary to reduce the country's bloated deficit.

The package, which includes a cut in civil servants' wages, will be voted on Thursday and approval is expected to be by possibly just one vote.

Finance Minister Elena Salgado told Parliament "the measures are painful but inevitable."

A defeat would be a serious blow for the Socialist government of Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

The measures have been welcomed by the Europe Union and international bodies but much criticized at home as a major U-turn on social policies by the Socialists.