New Pompeii collapses add to conservation worries

ROME (Reuters) - Two walls toppled over at the ruins of Pompeii on Thursday days after a 2,000-year-old building collapsed at the ancient Roman city, raising concern about the Italian government's support for the archaeological treasure.

Custodians at the UNESCO World Heritage site said the wall collapses were minor and the result of disintegrating cement. Work was already under way to restore them, the director of excavations, Antonio Varone, said in a statement.

Details were given of another wall that fell three days before the collapse of the stone "House of the Gladiators" on Sunday. Custodians said nothing could have predicted the demise of the 80 square meter (860 square foot) structure.

Archaeologists, commentators and opposition politicians have accused Italy's government of neglect and mismanagement over the collapse of the house, known officially by its Latin name "Schola Armaturarum Juventus Pompeiani," where gladiators trained.

On Wednesday, the opposition said it would present a no-confidence motion against Culture Minister Sandro Bondi who has acknowledged that more buildings at the site south of Naples may collapse.

He dismissed calls to quit over what he says are long-standing problems.

The opposition blames mismanagement and funding cuts under the center-right government for the poor state of the site.

(Reporting by Catherine Hornby; editing by Andrew Dobbie)