Earthquake survivors in L'Aquila, central Italy, are none too pleased about playing host to this year's Group of Eight summit as they struggle to rebuild their lives.

"This G8 summit is a huge disturbance for our city, which is divided between those who think it may be a chance for revival and others who are convinced that we'll be forgotten as soon as the meeting is over," said activist Fabrizio Bianchi.

"We all want to take advantage of the summit to voice our opposition to the government's decisions. We are not a political movement, we're not on the left, we just don't approve of what the government has done so far," Mr Bianchi said.

Parliament last month passed a reconstruction spending bill of €8 billion through 2032, beginning with €1.15 billion this year - an amount considered paltry next to the needs of the disaster zone.

Mr Bianchi belongs to a group of volunteers calling themselves the 3+32 - after the time in the night that the earthquake struck on April 6, claiming 299 lives.

They have set up a tent in L'Aquila's city centre, still designated a declared "red zone," to air their grievances. The anger is palpable among the quake victims, who complain of unkept promises.

"What we don't understand is why with all the preparations for the G8 summit they haven't started rebuilding L'Aquila as well," said Piero De Santis, a community organiser.

"Our earthquake has only given the government an advertising platform," he said.