Italian PM complains in letter to European Commission President: “Dear Ursula”

Giorgia Meloni believes that the parts of the report relating to Italy were “clumsy and disingenuous attacks that can only occur in the dark context of the recurring use of fake news that increasingly pollutes debate in Europe.”

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has written to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to complain, following the publication of the Commission’s 2024 Rule of Law Report.

The letter read: “Dear Ursula, a few days ago, as has happened every year since 2020, the European Commission published its annual report on the rule of law in the European Union.”

“The final recommendations presented to Italy do not differ particularly from those of previous years, but, for the first time, the content of this document has been distorted for political use by some, in an attempt to attack the Italian government, which is at risk in Italy freedom of information, especially in [emissora estatal] opinion”.

The letter states that some media articles relating to the Italian parts of the report were “clumsy and deceptive attacks that can only occur in the bleak context of the frequent use of fake news that increasingly pollutes debate in Europe.”

“It is a shame that even the Commission’s report on the rule of law, and in particular on freedom of information in public service broadcasting, has not been separated by specialists from misinformation and ambiguity,” Meloni wrote.

“The current government and the parliamentary majority that supports it have not yet used the regulations in place to renew the top management (of RAI),” he adds.

The current members of the RAI Board of Directors were appointed in the last legislative assembly by a majority vote, [coligação] The Irmaus d’Italia (FdI) was not part of it, so it is difficult to understand how this government can be accused of alleged interference in the political management of the RAI.”