(see related)
President Sergio Mattarella on
Wednesday blasted "any act directed against free press" as "a
subversive act against the Republic" as he addressed the
Parliamentary Press Association in the traditional 'fan'
ceremony before the summer recess.
"Alongside freedom of opinion comes freedom of information, i.e.
freedom to criticise, to illustrate facts and reality," the head
of State said.
"In democracy it is also flanked by the right to be correctly
informed.
"Information that is also as an antibody against the
adulteration of reality. "Working against the adulteration of
reality is a responsibility, and a duty, entrusted first and
foremost to journalists".
The president lamented the physical violence, threats and
intimidation journalists are often subjected to and mentioned
the case of a reporter for daily newspaper La Stampa who was
beaten up at the weekend outside a party involving far-right
militants in Turin.
"It must always be remembered that journalists exercise a
function that is linked to Article 21 of our Constitution," he
said,
"In recent times, protests, intimidation and aggression against
journalists documenting events have been on the increase.
"But this is precisely what reporting is, as in Turin in recent
days - documentation of what is happening, without holding
back".
He also bemoaned that recent series of attacks on political
figures, including the assassination attempt on Donald Trump and
the attacks on Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico, former
Berlin mayor Franziska Giffey and on Nancy Pelosi's husband.
"It is fundamental and right to reiterate the firm and
uncompromising condemnation of this dramatic drift of violence
against political figures of opposing sides, who are turned into
enemies," he said.
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