Served as tender chunks in wine-flavoured stews, in shreds scattered over salads or sliced into carpaccio so thin it melts on the tongue, horse meat has long been a staple on dinner tables across Italy, and especially in Puglia.

作为在酒味炖菜中的鲜嫩肉块、撒在沙拉上的肉丝，或是切成入口即化的薄片生牛肉（carpaccio）， 马肉长期以来一直是意大利各地餐桌上的主食，尤其是在普利亚大区。

Now the country is divided over whether to continue the centuries-old culinary tradition after an alliance of bipartisan parliamentarians floated a proposal to ban horse meat.

如今，在两党议员联盟提出一项禁止马肉的议案后，意大利国内就该国是否应该延续这一数百年之久的烹饪传统产生了分歧。

The law would classify horses, donkeys and mules as pets, imposing fines of up to €100,000 and jail sentences of up to three years for anyone who rears them for slaughter.

该法律将把马、驴和骡子归类为宠物， 任何人为屠宰而饲养它们的行为，将面临高达10万欧元的罚款和最高三年的监禁。

"This proposal is an extraordinary opportunity to bring about a cultural change that is already in the hearts of the majority of Italians," said Michela Vittoria Brambilla, a parliamentarian for Noi Moderati, part of Giorgia Meloni's ruling coalition, who has depicted the slaughter of horses as cruel.

“这项提案带来了实现文化变革的绝佳机遇，而这一变革已存在于大多数意大利人心中，” 意大利温和党（该党是乔治亚·梅洛尼执政联盟的一部分）议员米凯拉·维托里娅·布兰比拉说道， 她将宰杀马匹的行为描述为残忍。

The proposal, which also has the backing of centre-left parliamentarians, has prompted a lively public debate, and numerous petitions for and against the measure have emerged online. Luigi Menduni, president of the youth wing of Confcommercio Bari-Bat, voiced concern for local workers, including those in tourism who rely on visitors eager to sample regional specialities. Italian cuisine was added to Unesco's intangible cultural heritage list in December.

该提案也得到了中左翼议员的支持，引发了公众的热烈讨论， 网上也出现了众多支持和反对该措施的请愿。 路易吉·门杜尼是巴里-巴特商业联合会青年部门的主席，他对当地从业者表示担忧， 其中包括那些依赖渴望品尝当地特色美食的游客的旅游业从业者。 意大利美食已于去年12月被列入联合国教科文组织非物质文化遗产名录。

"This could affect the entire supply chain, meaning farms, logistics, lorries going back and forth, butchers and restaurants," said Menduni, who founded a horse meat festival in the Pugliese town of Corato in 2024. "Behind every single person there is a mortgage to pay, a child to raise — there is an entire economy that depends on it."

“这可能会影响整个供应链，意味着养殖场、物流、往返运输的卡车、肉铺和餐馆，”门杜尼说， 他于2024年在普利亚大区的科拉托镇创办了一个马肉节。 “这背后关系到每一个人，他们要还房贷，要养孩子——整个经济都依赖于它。”

He noted that Puglia ranked first among Italian regions for horse-meat consumption, accounting for 13 per cent of the national total.

他指出，普利亚大区在意大利各大区中马肉消费量排名第一，占全国总量的13%。

The proposal is under review by a senate commission. Gian Marco Centinaio, the senate's vice-president and a vocal opponent of the move, said it would take months for the bill to pass through both parliamentary houses.

该提案目前正由参议院一个委员会进行审议。 参议院副议长、同时也是该措施的直言反对者吉安·马可·切蒂纳约表示， 该法案需要数月时间才能通过参众两院。

"Calling a horse a pet is against any logic," Centinaio said. "From what I've heard in the last few weeks, there are more colleagues who are against it than for it."

“把马称为宠物违反一切逻辑，”切蒂纳约说。 “从过去几周我了解到的情况来看，反对的同事比支持的要多。”