Santelli case, the majority against Rai for the exclusion of Morra: “Censorship is a very serious precedent for democratic life”

The ‘censorship’ of Nicola Morra from the program Title V of Rai 3 becomes a political case involving i vertices of the company viale Mazzini. While the senator, president of the Anti-Mafia commission, he returned to apologize to those who felt offended by the phrases about the illness of Jole Santelli, while vindicating the concept, it is Andrea Orlando to intervene in a clear manner on the cancellation of the guest on the third public service network: “It’s up to general manager Rai or to a network manager establish what a politician can say. I believe that what happened in Morra, beyond his own highly questionable opinions, constitute a very serious precedent for the democratic life “, writes on Twitter the deputy secretary of Pd. Line similar to that also espoused by the union of Rai journalists and yes Italy Viva ed M5s, who on the merits had distanced himself from the sentences of Morra on the former president of the Calabria Region, who died in October. While the center right – than yesterday with Antonio Tajani e Giorgio Mulè, both journalists, had protested for the guest – insists on pressing, asking the resignation of the senator from the presidency of the Anti-Mafia commission, at whose sessions the members of League e Brothers of Italy have announced that they no longer want to participate.

Morra, for his part, has returned to defend himself: “Resign as president of the Antimafia commission? Many would like it but I believe that what happened yesterday is also an episode within one strategy, because when you bother a Cosa Nostra, the mafia and the ‘ndrangheta, as they taught us, then you have to get dirty, muddy and delegitimize, ”a Omnibus its La7. “This is the country of hypocrisy and gods whitewashed sepulchers where perhaps someone, doing public service, believes that the president of the Anti-Mafia commission rather than being severely examined, journalists should simply be excluded from participating in a broadcast – added Morra – Il public service can safely interview the son of Totò Riina, Salvatore Buzzi (he was actually interviewed by La7 not from Rai, ed) however the president of the Antimafia commission cannot be sanded by journalists ”.

Rai – yes “Regrets” for the “modalities” with which the decision was communicated – he replied with a note to the debate triggered by the exclusion of Morra from the list of guests of Title V. The decision to suspend participation “was taken last night by Rai since hours there was a particularly heated debate on a very sensitive subject which involved i cancer patients “, writes viale Mazzini. “Beyond individual opinions, Rai, as a public service, despite the awareness of difficulty to make a decision – the Rai note continues – which would have been anyway controversial, preferred to adopt a line of utmost caution and to protect and avoid feeding the many controversies that were developing on such a complex issue “.

While noting the “deepest disgust” for the words towards Santelli, too Raffaele Lorusso e Beppe Giulietti, respectively secretary and president of Fnsi, e Vittorio of Trapani, Secretary of Usigrai, explain that they consider the cancellation “a error, in the ways, in the times and in the merits “. In a joint note, the representatives of Fnsi and Usigrai continue: “We have always maintained, and we have not changed our mind, that the problem is not who you interview but how, or questions which are posed or not posed. Unless Rai communicates the i exclusion criteria, clearly not used up to now “. Then they conclude: “We propose, to begin with, not to invite anyone who has had behavior or words contrary to Service Agreement, and then to the Constitution “.

A “explanation” it is also requested by the members of the 5 Star Movement in supervisory commission Rai: “Blocking participation was a strong act, although still fervent controversy relating to his statements, a behavior that we would have expected in the past for even more serious cases on which we had asked Rai for a stance”. The pentastellati say they are “safe” in Morra “the possibility, as soon as possible, of having one will be guaranteed space and that he can be put in a position to explain his version of events.
Of course we understand well the interest of all the center right to try to shift attention elsewhere than the arrest of their exponent Tallini, but Nicola Morra, who has certainly used aunhappy expression, from which the Movement immediately distanced itself, he apologized ”.

But on the exclusion it is all the M5s back to the side of the senator: “Rai, as a public broadcaster, must remain impartial and allow everyone to express their positions. In recent years they have passed through public television screens murderers, mafia, unpresentable parliamentarians and condemned politicians. All this in the wake of the principle according to which Italians should be offered as complete information as possible “, attacks the group leader in the Senate Ettore Licheri. “I therefore find it amazing that the mallet oftelevision obscurantism has fallen precisely on the figure of the president of the Antimafia “. Licheri says he fears that “the censorship is triggered on the rest of President Morra’s reflections, lists of unpresentables produced by the Anti-Mafia Commission that are ignored and old parties who continue, despite the reports, to nominate people who then end up under arrest like Tallini ”.

For the deputy of Italia Viva and secretary of the Rai Supervisory Commission, Michele Anzaldi, the precedent created by the Rai top management is “very serious” and is the “lowest point reached in recent years” because Viale Mazzini “should journalism and information, not politics ”, the Renzian exponent writes on Facebook. “Instead of informing, of journalistically putting – continues Anzaldi – Morra, the public service has abdicated its role and he preferred to censor it, with a decision that came only after explicit requests of the center right to cancel the interview. A political decision, not a journalistic one ”. “Is this the journalistic autonomy of the conductors and of the public service networks? Who came from the order to censor Morra, from Salini, from Foa or both? – asks Anzaldi – In any case, the responsibility falls on theCEO. The Supervisory Commission must urgently take care of the case “.

In defense of Morra also Paola Taverna, Barbara Lezzi and Marco Pilgrims, also a member of the Anti-Mafia commission. The vice president of the Senate says she “does not share” Morra’s words “but even less I agree with Rai’s decision to censor his participation in a television program. “Anyone who distances himself from you distances himself from hard work and does not speak for the M5S. You are neither alone nor isolated. The arrogance with which your participation was vetoed a Title V is aberrant and those who demanded it should have the courage to show themselves ”, the senator and former minister writes on Facebook. While Pellegrini underlines that “Morra has apologized for the words on Santelli, who is candidating i Tallini on duty, those who apply scoundrels trafficking mafia votes has not yet apologized, has not yet asked the Italian people for forgiveness for bringing in the regions and Parliament lowly and dangerous people “.

The entire center-right, on the other hand, continues to ask for the expulsion of the Calabrian senator from the Anti-Mafia commission. For Matteo Salvini, “someone who takes it out on cancer patients, with a woman of value unfortunately disappeared, with the Calabrians and with millions of Italians does not bother the mafia, it is simply a idiot “. Meanwhile, the Northern League components of the Anti-Mafia commission announced that they will not participate in the next works or in the committees: “The statements on Jole Santelli – the Northern League exponents write to the presidents of the Chamber and Senate – have disrespected not only the former president, but with she to all cancer patients, harming the intelligence, as well as the dignity, of the Calabrians “. Morra, they continue, “has exasperated the sad story by dividing, in a completely way unacceptable, Italians in two categories: those who think like him, and therefore would inevitably be against the mafia and those who, having a different idea, would therefore be in favor of the mafia ”. The context, they conclude, “worsens in consideration of the role played by Senator Morra, almost as if he boasted and feared confidential information, and in his possession, capable of inducing him to make such declarations offensive and unacceptable “.

Same decision of the members of the Brothers of Italy “for to protest against the non-resignation of President Morra ”. Also for the Forza Italia deputy and vice president of the Chamber, Mara Carfagna, “At some point you should have the good taste to be silent and go home. To err is human, to persevere is diabolical”. “I see that Morra he is still president of the anti-mafia commission – he attacks the force senator instead Maurizio Gasparri – He can no longer perform that function. It doesn’t have one dignityoverwhelmed by his delusional statements. However, not the first disconcerting ones. Everyone disavowed him ”.

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