New lawsuit between freedom of the press and Giorgia Meloni. The Italian newspaper ‘Domani’, specialized in investigative reportshas reported that a journalist and the director of the outlet have been sued for defamation by the current Italian Prime Minister and will have to sit in the dock. “power attacks to the free press”, has headlined the newspaper on its front page this Tuesday.
Is he second case known in recent days of defamation complaints filed and not withdrawn by the also leader of the far-right party of Brothers of Italy, something rare in the transalpine country. The previous episode involved Roberto Savianointernationally renowned writer, who last week had to appear before the Italian court for having called Meloni a “bastard” in 2020, accusing her of using anti-immigration speech to get electoral gain.
In this case, Emiliano Fittipaldi, a veteran journalist for ‘Domani’, and Stefano Feltri, have been denounced for a different matter. Is about an article published in October 2021 in which there is an investigation by the Italian justice into an obscure sale of Chinese masks by the former commissioner to manage the Covid in Italy, Domenico Arcuri. An investigation during which, according to ‘Domani’, also Meloni’s name was mentioned as a figure who would have promoted a seller so that he would take part of the business.
Neither Conte nor Gentiloni nor Renzi
So much so that Meloni’s complaint was filed the day after the publication of the piece, and was also signed by his lawyer, Andrea Delmastro Delle Vedove, current Undersecretary of Justice. What is singular, however, is that Meloni did not withdraw his complaint after winning the Italian elections and being elected head of the Italian Government.
“Neither (the previous prime ministers) Giuseppe Conte, nor Paolo Gentiloni nor Matteo Renzi have denounced or carried out trials against the press while they were prime ministers,” ‘Domani’ complained. The reason is “freedom of the press” and “the inequality of power” between a prime minister and a media outlet, he added.
Although it is not the first time that Italian political figures have threatened to file complaints against the country’s journalists, it is rare that they do not withdraw them when they assume important positions within the institutions.