Meloni’s attack on non-pro-government newspapers, opposition and Fnsi rise up

A coordinated attack on non-pro-government newspapers, led by the Prime Minister Georgia Meloni and from the press that is friendly to her: Newspaper and Free. In the crosshairs end up Repubblica, Domani and Fatto quotidianobut also individual journalists whose “crime” was to meet the delegation led by the European Union of Journalists during its mission to Rome last May.

From those two days of intense meetings, including institutional ones – not with members of the government: all the guests refused – came the Media Freedom EU report published yesterday and which contains very harsh judgments on the state of health of press freedom in our country, “subjected to increasing pressure with unprecedented attacks by the government majority”. Not only that. From Beijing the Prime Minister also spoke about the letter on the rule of law sent in recent days to Ursula von der Leyen. Which has been received and “we will now read and evaluate”, as the spokesperson of the EU Commission said Anitta Hipperwithout specifying whether there will be a response from the EU or not. But specifying: “What would be important to say when it comes to the Rule of Law Report, is that it is a consolidated methodology, based on facts and it is also the result of an inclusive process of consultation with Member States and also with various stakeholders”.

In the meantime, although it is not possible to get into the merits, with all evidence, from China Meloni is relying on listening to ‘stakeholders’ of ‘enemy’ newspapers, moreover indicated with all transparency in the dossier itself, to try to delegitimize it. At the same time, this morning on Libero for example, an article comes out with this title: “Repubblica reporter source of EU anti-Giorgia dossier”, a reference to our colleague Matthew Pucciarellicited in the document and member of the internal union representation of this newspaper.

“The concept of ‘anti-Meloni journalists’ is all too reminiscent of blacklists, an unacceptable practice that, unfortunately, brings us back to the starting point: the illiberal drift that some would like to push Italy down. As if a journalist had to wear a jacket or be put on a leash to do his job. Instead, the only objective of a journalist should be to inform freely, defend freedom of the press and the dignity of journalism”, argue the secretary general of the Fnsi Alexandra Constant and the president Victor of Trapani. “The EU report on the state of the Union and the report of the Mfrr consortium do nothing more than photograph episodes that have occurred in recent months in Italy and that have been there for all to see, including the European Union. It is not by blaming the work of some colleagues who are more sensitive than others to the issue of freedom of the press that politics can avoid the debate on what is happening in the country, in Rai or even in the procedures for the sale of the Agi agency”, continue Costante and Di Trapani.

Fnsi therefore denounces the concrete risk that proscription lists, “of which there has never been any news in the strongest democracies such as France, Spain and Germany or the countries of Northern Europe”, could transform themselves into a risk for the personal safety of colleagues singled out as “anti-Meloni journalists”. And this case too will be brought to the attention of the Observatory on intimidation of journalists which will meet this week at the Ministry of the Interior.

The Secretary General of the European Federation of Journalists, Ricardo Gutierrezis clear: “State propaganda invents the concept of ‘anti-Meloni journalists’ to describe journalists who defend citizens’ freedom of access to information, these are fascist and mafia methods”. The PD senator Walter Verini he says he is “shocked”: “The Prime Minister is evidently allergic to the principles of liberal democracy and her reaction is not very different from the reactions of Ignatius LaRussa after the neo-fascist attack suffered by Andrea Jolyalmost aimed at blaming the attacked. Fortunately, just a few days ago the President of the Republic became the interpreter of the correct principles that should animate the relationship between politics and journalism”.

Nicholas Fratoianni of Alleanza Verdi Sinistra considers “the Prime Minister’s statements from China to be out of place: there is no ongoing conspiracy, in democratic countries such as EU countries there are checks on what is done and what is reported. That in our country there is an involution in respect for citizens’ rights, that the current government prefers to force the institutions in an authoritarian sense, that freedom of the press is put to the test on a daily basis, that there has been an occupation of the public radio and TV service by the right and with disastrous results in terms of ratings and authority, these are facts, not opinions, and they are there for all Italian citizens to see – he comments – That then the newspapers owned by right-wing parties are whipping up the hoax of a conspiracy by ‘red’ journalists who intend to take revenge on Palazzo Chigi, at the limit, is precisely the confirmation of the sad times our democracy is living in”.

He also intervenes on social media Barbara Floridiapresident of the Rai Supervisory Commission: “Called to respond to the warnings coming from Europe regarding freedom of information in Italy, what does Giorgia Meloni do from Beijing? She attacks the journalists of the Fatto Quotidiano, of Repubblica and of Domani that would exploit the report. So if there is a problem of freedom of the press in Italy is it because of the newspapers that criticize the government? As always, the blame for everything lies with someone else: previous governments, bad journalists, etc. etc. How much longer will we have to wait to have an answer on the merits of what Europe is contesting on the independence of the media, frivolous lawsuits, Rai governance?”.

Solidarity with Republic and to Pucciarelli also from You will be happythe union of journalists of public television: “the personal attacks on a member of the editorial board of Republic by some newspapers that even attribute to him the role of inspirer of the European report on freedom of the press in Italy.

A method, that of targeting individual journalists, which is the same one used by the government to attack those who write about the executive’s actions, less than flattering evaluations of the measures adopted”.