16 May 2008

Agcom partiality

There are manoevres against Travaglio and the programme “Anno Zero” so as not to disturb those who manoevre. The preliminary investigation started by Agcom {Authority for Communications} in such a hurry is just the latest attempt to stop anyone who still has the courage to recount the facts even if they are not pleasing to the caste of politicians. Basically it seems to be saying: attack one so as to put to sleep the critical conscience of a hundred.
It is still not clear what the charges against Travaglio would be, given that he is only telling us of well known facts and about which there has never been any indignation expressed. Episodes about which many citizens, thanks to the information that they received, can now form their own opinion and freely make judgements.
The Authority for Communications would do well to explain how it is that only on this occasion it has been so promptly and fantastically watchful, while on so many other occasions it seemed to be “inattentive” to such an extent that it has been up to others to think about being vigilant.

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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13 May 2008

Information Black Out

It’s really true that : The tongue ever turns to the aching tooth!

The attacks that the journalist Marco Travaglio is being subjected to simply for having reported the news about facts that are true and that have happened and that relate to no lesser person than the one with the second most important position in the State, the President of the Senate Schifani, show us that, as usual, when it comes to defending the Caste, the leaders of the parties on the Right and on the Left close ranks and become a single unit (as happened at the moment of the Great Pardon).

So I ask myself and I ask you: but if a journalist reveals circumstances that are not known to most of the citizens, is he fulfilling his own duty to report and provide criticism or not? If it turns out that Schifani was associated with people of the criminal world, then the President of the Senate, exactly because he in this high position, should explain his reasons or contest the facts. It is his moral duty.

And again I ask myself and this time I ask the many good thinkers of the Democratic Party: but do you know who they are these people Nino Mandalà and Benny D’Agostino who have been convicted for mafia? And do you know what it means to have been associated with these people in the golden times of the mafia, as Schifani was? Well then, where’s the harm if an independent journalist asks transparent questions and in the same transparent way informs the general public?

What’s the point in attacking Travaglio just for telling the truth? Instead of getting angry with him, wouldn’t it be better to take the opportunity to set up a detailed and truthful information campaign about who is in Parliament, in the Government or in the other institutions controlled by politics? Or otherwise is the silence due to the fact that even in the ranks of the Centre Left there are embarrassing positions that make it better to pretend there’s nothing and to align themselves with the adversary in the hope that one day they will return the favour?

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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12 May 2008

Solidarity with Marco Travaglio

Today Marco Travaglio has received very severe criticism, from both the majority and from those who should be the opposition because he has simply reported facts about Renato Schifani, President of the Senate.

I’m showing solidarity with Marco Travaglio because he has simply done his duty giving an account of the facts.

Episodes that cannot be changed or kept quiet just because, from one day to the next, a person becomes President of the Senate or, and just for this reason, wipe out with a sweep of the sponge his whole history and his whole past.

A journalist who tells the story by citing specific episodes, does not need anyone to contradict him. However, giving arguments that contradict each other must be done by politicians when they come face to face.

The reporter reports what happened. Paradoxically it would mean that every time he writes about or reports the story of a robbery, it should be possible to hear the version from the robber.

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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7 May 2008

State Schizophrenia

I’m publishing Marco Travaglio’s article called "Europa7, lo Stato copia Mediaset" {Europa7, the State copies Mediaset}.

Today the Council of State, after 9 years of legal battles in Italy and in Europe, will decide the amount to be paid by the State in recompense to Europa7 for the failure to assign frequencies to them and whether to finally let them broadcast nationally. In the discussion, the government is represented by the State Advocacy Service. They have surprisingly been given the task by the Minister of Communications, Paolo Gentiloni and asked to reject the requests of the publisher Francesco Di Stefano and to defend the status quo: that is the Gasparri law and the right of Rete4 to occupy the frequencies even without a concession (lost by Mediaset and won by Europa7 in 1999).


A fact that is quite individual: the Unione had promised to repeal the Gasparri law and on 31 January the European Court of Justice gave its support to the rights of Europa7 against those of Rete4. But that’s not enough. To defend Rete4, the State Advocacy Service representing the Prodi government copied in its memo, whole pages taken from that of the Mediaset lawyers. . Not to cite their hypotheses in inverted commas. But to take them on as their own, without even giving details about where they came from. The Berlusconi group officially is not one of the parties to the discussion: Europa7, for the failure to assign the frequencies, has cited the State through the Ministry of Communications and the Authority overseeing Communications. But Mediaset intervened anyway with a memo, knowing well that, if the frequencies were to be assigned to Europa7, it would be Rete4 to lose them. And the State Advocate, Maurizio Di Carlo, what does he do? Cut and paste of the Mediaset memo, without even trying to camouflage this authentic privatization of the institution at the service of the “Biscione”. The whole thing, even before Berlusconi is back in government for the third time.

Read and compare the memo by the State Advocacy Service (55 pages) and by Mediaset (78 pages). The complete text is given on www.voglioscendere.it. It’s a tragicomic party game of “Spot the difference”. The most obvious is that the State defends Rete4 with even more passion than Mediaset does. For the rest, page after page plucked exactly as it is from the documents of the Berlusconian company. A few examples: Pagine 9 of the State Advocacy document: ten lines (from 7 to 17) copied from page 49 of the Mediaset memo (lines 1-15). Page 5 (from line 20) to Page 6 (up to line 18) of the State Advocacy are identical to pages 60 (from line 3), 61 (all the page) and 62 (up to line 11) in the Mediaset document. Pages 17 (from line 7) and 18 (up to line13) of the State Advocacy document are the same as pages 60 (from line 3), 61 (all the page) and 62 (up to line22) in the Mediaset document. Page 53 (lines 4-23) State Advocacy document is plagiarized from pages 39 (from line 9) and 40 (up to line5) in the Mediaset document. On page 35 (lines 27-31) of the State Advocacy document, there are the same words as on page 47 (lines 17-22) in the Mediaset document. And so on. Once there’s a “thus” missed out. In another place there’s a “in relation to this” instead of “firstly”. All the rest, including erroneous punctuation (many commas between the subject and the verb), is identical. The same is true for the conclusions with outcomes that are at times comical.

According to the State Advocacy Service, if Europa7 has not had the frequencies, it’s their fault: they should have “acquired them even on their own initiative” (and where? And how? With weapons in their hands?), given that the State: “didn’t have the actual availability of the frequencies” (obviously: they allowed them to be kept by Telepiù nero and Rete4, by now without the concession). And anyway – Di Carlo added – by dis-applying the Maccanico law and the Gasparri law and turning off the analogue frequencies for Rete4 would not mean the automatic transfer to Europa7 (and to whom, thank you?).

Basically the State is ignoring the recent verdict of the European Court in Luxembourg, requested by the very same Council of State, according to which the community regulations “are an obstacle to a national system of regulations whose application means that an operator that owns a concession finds it impossible to transmit because a lack of frequencies assigned on the basis of objective criteria, that are transparent, non-discriminatory and proportional.”

Thus, it’s enough that the “transitory regime set up in favour of the existing networks” to the disadvantage of Europa7, in accordance with the Maccanico law, of the “save-Rete4”, of the Gasparri law, of the Gentiloni draft law (that never became law). All the laws that should be repealed.
They are not: “the free provision of services” protected by community regulations – writes the European Court – “they need not just the concession of the authorisation to broadcast, but also the assigning of the frequencies”, otherwise, “an operator cannot make use of the rights given to it by community law for the access to the TV market”. With this verdict in their hands, the lawyers Grandinetti and Pace working for Europa7 ask the Council of State for the frequencies and recompense for the damage suffered.
The “emerging damage”, that is the money spent so far for the investments required by law for anyone who wins a concession (more than 120 million euro). And the “lucro cessante”, that is the loss of profits of the TV that was never born (more than 2 billion euro). Always assuming that the Council will give a verdict telling the State to finally assign the frequencies to them.
Otherwise Europa7 would die for ever and Di Stefano would have the right to the value of the whole company. The government of the Unione, by means of the State Advocacy Service, talks in playback: text and music from Mediaset. No reimbursement. No frequencies. Long live Gasparri. Rete4 sine die. Everything as before, as ever. Berlusconi would not have known how to do better.”

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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5 May 2008

Censorship by the regime

The decision by RAI Chairman Petruccioli to reprimand Santoro for the AnnoZero programme dedicated to the signature gathering operation organised by Beppe Grillo on 25 April, in support of the call for a referendum regarding freedom of information, is somewhat disconcerting. Those who watched the programme will surely have thought that a reprimand was in fact called for, but against Sgarbi who, without any reason, continuously insulted the other people present who did not react, and then proceeded to talk nonsense regarding the contributions to the Giornale and regarding the dismissal of Enzo Biagi. Petruccioli did not deem it necessary to highlight Beppe Grillo’s statement regarding the illegality of Rete 4, as sanctioned by the European Court of Justice, which will cost the Italian taxpayer more than 300 million Euro.
This is called censorship, and this in a free Country where the listener has a right to know that two million people took to the streets to sign a petition calling for a referendum and where 1,500,000 signatures were gathered in a just one day, including mine, an event never before witnessed in the history of the Republic. A demonstration on such a scale cannot simply be ignored.
If it is true that you can tell how good the day will be from the early morning, then we can expect that all kinds of attempts will be made to shut down the last few remaining avenues for free information in our Country.
The Italia dei Valori Party is doing everything within its power to ensure that this does not occur, particularly should we obtain the Chairmanship of the RAI Vigilance Committee as we have expressly requested.

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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27 April 2008

My signatures for V2-Day

Today, 25 April 2008, I went down to Largo Cairoli in Milan to put down my signature for the three referendums promoted by Beppe Grillo, calling for freedom of information.
"Good day to one and all. Thanks to all of you who have come out here to sign for what is yet another, the umpteenth test of democracy, which some people have labelled as anti-politics. The only thing that is anti-political is the behaviour of those that are prepared to use the institutions to favour themselves. Anti-politics is what happens when someone stands for election after having been finally sentenced in a court of law. Anti-politics is what happens when a person once again bypasses a decision handed down by the European Court of Justice, and once again bypasses the issue of conflicts of interest and once again bypasses the functionality of the judiciary. What is anti-political is the behaviour of those that have, in recent days, talked about being heavy handed with the justice department, while the collapse of justice and security is precisely the result of not having made a stand against those that have broken the law in the past few years. If the courts and the legal process are not functioning properly, it is because, in recent years, certain laws have been introduced that have caused them to stop functioning properly. Anti-politics is also that which would prevent us from holding demonstrations such as this one.
That is why we are signing this call for a referendum. We want to send a clear message of real politics, the intentional politics envisaged in the Constitution.
We wish to thank the organisers and appreciate what they have done, all of the Beppe Grillo Meetups, and we want to thank Grillo himself, because he has been accused of everything and anything simply because he is fighting for the application of one particular article of the Constitution, the one that permits the gathering of signatures in order to repeal a law introduced by Parliament. We thank all the militants who go around collecting signatures, those that authenticate them and those that voluntarily take it upon themselves to present this umpteenth referendum.
Some say that they won’t be ignored. Popular demand laws will be ignored because, although the Constitution envisages the gathering of signatures and their submission to Parliament, they invariably land up in the cellars the very next day. Referendums, on the other hand, cannot be ignored, because they are required to follow a certain procedure, so much so, that a referendum is envisaged regarding the electoral law, which is still in the works and will have to be held.
Obviously, there will be a flurry of activity in the coming months, aimed at proving that the gathering of these signatures was illegal, that we should not go and vote and, as regards all those people and parties that exhorted us during the recent electoral campaign to go and vote, you will see them again soon, but this time exhorting us not to vote in the referendum. Therefore, when it suits them we must go and vote, but when it doesn’t suit them, then we must stay away from the polls.
In the opinion of this Caste that continues to do as it wishes, we should simply be subjects, a herd of sheep. Think carefully about these referendums, which, over and above the institution itself, are like merit vouchers, because in the final analysis, what are they really saying? They are saying that the newspapers financed by political parties have merely become another way to make money, rather than a way to inform. Secondly, that in order to communicate and inform, you must be registered, just like during the twenty year reign of fascism. Everyone should be free to express his/her own abilities and qualities, the only difference should be the reader, who either reads what is being said, or not, depending on whether or not the truth is being told.
That is why we believe that these referendums are a good thing, in substance and the institution itself, as a real example of democracy in action.
Someone accused us today, saying that this day is a far more important occasion than simply an opportunity to occupy ourselves with a referendum regarding information. We are well aware of the importance of this day and that is precisely why today was chosen, above all to pay homage to those that gave up their freedom to live, something that we do not wish to forget and that is at the top of our list, God forbid! This is not an alternative event, but rather a continuation, a civil duty, firstly to pay homage to those that gave us back our lives, and then to renew our commitment to that very same liberty that we do not wish to see going up in smoke or being bartered.
Certainly, where once there was a castor oil dictatorship, now there is the dictatorship of the dancing girls, but it nevertheless remains a dictatorship, far more gentle, but there nevertheless. In conclusion, I wish to say that, for this very reason, we must all strive for the good of the Country and its institutions. I will be doing just that both inside and outside of Parliament. With this same megaphone, I stood out even as Minister and they tried to drown me with insults when the time came to say no to the pardons, but I will still be there, inside and outside of Parliament, to speak out on behalf of an Italy that is free, an Italy that is independent and an Italy that refuses to give up."

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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21 April 2008

25 April: for a new Liberation

On 25 April I will be in Milan. At 11 am I will be in Largo Cairoli to add my signature for the three referenda promoted by Beppe Grillo for the freedom of information.
Italia dei Valori is mobilizing in what we consider to be another important political battle to ensure that all citizens have the right to be well informed, to provide good information and to be informed as is laid down in the Constitution and as is not happening in Italy.
Here below, there’s a declaration that I have given about this initiative.

”Now that the moment of elections has passed, we of Italia dei Valori, and I personally, want to continue to bring our contribution in defence of legality, of transparency and in this case, of transparency, independence and plurality of information.
On 25 April there’s V Day, promoted by Beppe Grillo. Many people say that this is an anti-political action. There is nothing more crazy, because there is nothing that is more politically correct than that citizens, simple citizens, who on the same day, at the same time, come together in front of the stalls to collect signatures to repeal a law that they believe to be unconstitutional or that has gone out of date, or to present a popular initiative proposed law. The institution of the referendum and the institution of the popular initiative laws are laid down and guaranteed in the Constitution, and those who promote these are not performing anti-political actions but true politics. Anti-politics appertains to those who go into the institutions to get away, otherwise they would have to go to some prison, to those who call a “hero” the mafia people and those who put themselves forward as candidates to find a place in the sun for themselves and their loved ones.
Having said this, on 25 April there’s a collection of signatures to have an information system that is freer, more independent and more transparent. Eliminate public financing to the publishing industry, because there is an enormous waste of almost a billion euro, and above all because then, in fact, information is controlled by the party system and by the system of the strong powers. We want to eliminate the Order of Journalists, because since the beginning of time it doesn’t make sense that to write, speak or make known your ideas you have to be listed on a register and respect the organisms of the corporation with the logic of “if you are in the good circle you are admitted to be able to speak, otherwise not.” But this is not democracy and it’s not me saying it, but they were saying it (as Beppe Grillo has reminded us) Enaudi and Berlinguer. This law that set up the Order of Journalists is by now an antique, it is out of date and out of place, even because it started off from Mussolini with quite a different intention: to monitor the actions of the journalists and the freedom of information.
Finally, we want to eliminate the Gasparri law, because anyway, now that Berlusconi has won and even though the European Court of Justice has already pronounced a verdict against Italy on the law that was passed to assign TV frequencies, even though the Constitutional Court has reinforced the fact that this law is not constitutional, you can still be sure that with this government and with this majority the Gasparri law will not be repealed, but it will be modified appropriately to make legitimate what is illegitimate. It is better to repeal this law completely even before it is sealed with a pretext of legality.
These three activities are the first outing for Italia dei Valori since the elections, because we believe that politics has to be done with the citizens, among the citizens, asking for votes from the citizens. The structures of Italia dei Valori will make stalls available where signatures can be verified, in places where there are gaps, and everyone is invited to consult the lists of the towns where stalls will be set up by looking on Beppe Grillo’s blog so that they can go and add their signature.
Certainly, then it’ll be necessary to have the referenda, but I believe that one step at a time we have to take our country towards a true and complete democracy, now more than ever.”

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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Annozero

Yesterday I appeared as a guest on Santoro’s programme Annozero. Here are some of my comments regarding freedoms of information, immigration and justice. I am also publishing Marco Travaglio’s opinion regarding the media monopoly, an opinion with which I agree fully.

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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17 April 2008

Let’s make information free

On 25 April, Beppe Grillo will collect signatures for the three referenda for freedom of information in a free State. The referenda are asking for the abolition of the Order of Journalists, the abolition of public financing of the publishing industry and the repeal of the Gasparri law on radio and TV. Italia dei Valori has decided to support the initiative and I’m inviting all the members and those who feel like us, to take part. You can give your signature in more than 400 cities throughout Italy, as indicated on the website www.beppegrillo.it. The Italia dei Valori organisation is available for the collection of signatures and to supply if necessary its own people to do the authentication of the signatures. Those who want to contact us can get in touch with one of the party offices indicated in this link.
I have decided to support these referenda because I believe that a democratic State cannot exist in the absence of information that is pluralist and free from economic and party political interests.
The victory of the Centre Right has been possible thanks to Silvio Berlusconi’s ownership of three TV channels and the Mondadori group. The Centre Left has made many errors, but the most important one is not to have enacted a law on the conflict of interests, to bring it into line with other western democracies. Today it is paying the price.
Starting from the day after the elections, the Centre Right has 6 out of 7 national TV channels. All in the hands of a single person.
To know the truth we have to look for it on the Internet. The programme Anno Zero and the journalist Marco Travaglio have already been subjected to verbal attention from Silvio Berlusconi. Tomorrow, 17 April, I will be a guest on Santoro’s programme. Watch the programme. It could be one of the last opportunities.

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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6 April 2008

If you know them, you avoid them

Marco Travaglio and Peter Gomez have presented their latest book: "Se li conosci li eviti" {If you know them, you avoid them}.
With a feeling of pride, reading the pages of this book, Italia dei Valori stands out for the lack of convicts in its ranks.
I am presenting four topics taken from their public presentation. These are topics on which the authors find me in complete agreement.
My articles on these topics are:

Have a good look at who the candidates are
The disinformation bosses
Alitalia: basta illudere i cittadini
Solidarity with Luigi De Magistris
Antonio Di Pietro a Break the mafia

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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Idv: the only party for independent information

On the 1st April, the Cabinet passed a decree implementing the decisions handed down by the European Court of Justice. What was not included, notwithstanding the objections raised by the Italia dei Valori Party, was the decision handed down on 31 January 2008, which declared the Italian radio and television laws to be illegitimate due to the fact that they allow Rete4 to broadcast on the analogue frequencies that were assigned to Europa7.
What the Italians should know, is that we will all have to pay the princely sum of 300 thousand Euro per day in fines for this decision, retroactive to July 2006. A few hundred million Euro, just to enable Fede to continue with his electoral propaganda exercise, full-time.
I have said so before and I say so again: In the event that the centre-left wins the upcoming elections, the Italia dei Valori Party’s priority will be to sever the incestuous bond that ties information and politics to each other. Starting with Rete4.
Herewith is an article by Marco Travaglio, entitled "Vieni avanti decretino" (Come on little decree).
"Excellent news from the Democratic Party’s loft. Terrible news instead from Palazzo Chigi. Veltroni’s entourage, writes the Corriere, has realised that the final week of the electoral campaign needs to be spent attacking Berlusconi, so as to «mobilise the undecided ».
Goffredo Bettini has apparently said that: «I’ve had enough of being the good guy». Better late than never. However, after so many months of crazy dialogue with an adversary who was responding to bouts of intrigue and insults, now there is a risk that any sudden and controversial turnaround would appear to be somewhat fake. And that the desired outcome fails to materialise. After having spent years ignoring the reports of him being buddies with the Mafia, bribing judges, cooking the books, introducing shameful legislation and spreading lies about everything and everyone (ranging from Alitalia to his actual stature: he has once again started claiming that he is 1 metre 71 tall, when he actually has to struggle valiantly to measure 1 metre 60), dusting off these reports now, suddenly, just prior to the elections, would be counterproductive. How to attack him then? Firstly by highlighting the unacceptability of certain of the new entries on the Pdl’s list of candidates, which would make even the best electoral manifesto look ridiculous. Even those that blindly believe all of the Cavaliere and his allies’ promises would have some doubts regarding whether or not the promises could be fulfilled with people like Ciarrapico (black shirt & ring), General Speciale (State-sponsored Bass and State-sponsored flights, at the taxpayers expense), the Mafia and Camorra buddies (the latest one nabbed just the other day in Milan), Barbato the spittoon, the mortadella-maker Strano, the fantasmagorical Pizza, the Chief’s personal physiotherapist and good-natured fools surrounding them. A bit of good advertising has never hurt anyone involved in any election campaign. Then there is a topic that everyone is aware of and is close to the heart for many people, not only the left wingers, namely, breaking the ties between television broadcasters and politics. Get the parties out of RAI, get Berlusconi out of Mediaset or out of politics, introduce an anti-trust ceiling for private network ownership, open the market to new parties (non political). And this is where we get to the bad news from Palazzo Chigi. On 1st April (when else?) the Cabinet passed a decree for the immediate implementation of all the decisions handed down by the European Court of Justice in Luxemburg. All except the one handed down on 31 January 2008, declaring that our laws regarding TV are illegal because they allow Rete4 to broadcast on the analogue channels reserved for Europa7 by virtue of the now-infamous 1999 tender for national concessions, which was won by Europa7 and lost by Rete4. Why reject this one while saying yes to all of the other decisions? «Because ¬ explains Minister Emma Bonino – this one was not urgent in nature. If a solution id found, we could perhaps take it into account at some later stage, or in a separate decree ». At some later stage? A separate decree? Meanwhile, the Government is on its last legs and within the next month – if all goes badly – the Berlusconi III government could take hold of the reigns. Are we really going to leave it to him to implement the decision that relegates Rete4 to broadcasting via satellite? What is this, an April fool joke? Just the day before yesterday, in the Sole-24 ore newspaper, Mediaset board member Gina Nieri was laying down the law to the parties. These people have gotten so used to write their own laws that they have lost all sense of shame. «In the Vulgate of the Grillos and Di Pietros of this world ¬said Nieri- Rete4 is illegal and is usurping the frequencies that rightly belong to Europa7. But this is not true, as proven by the laws approved from 2003 onwards». In other words, the decree being used to back-up Rete 4’s claim is the Gasparri Law, introduced by Berlusconi to suit himself, and rejected by the European Court, as was the Maccanico Law of ‘97 and the guiding principle of the Gentiloni Law, because of the never-ending «transition phase », which maintains the status-quo until the introduction of the mythical, or rather Mythological landline digital service. Nieri adds that: «Mediaset has nothing to fear from the Pd and the Pdl’s electoral programmes». In fact, she particularly likes the Pd’s one because «there it does not place a 45% ceiling on advertising». In the final analysis, it would be even more favourable for Mediaset than the already very bland Gentiloni Law (which, just in passing, was never approved).
Here is what Uolter could say, in keeping Di Pietro company: that Berlusconi and his Ginas have not understood anything. The first decree to be promulgated by his Government would have the effect of mowing down the Gasparri Law (thus saving Italy from the already-announced European fine of 300 thousand Euro per day, retroactive from July 2006), as well as freeing RAI from the political parties and their Control, and that he would apply the provisions of the European decision and the two acknowledged decisions of the Consultative Council. In other words, taking away the frequencies from Rete4 and allocating them to Europa7. Who knows, perhaps through some straight talking on TV, we may be able to convince some of the uncertain left-wing voters, and maybe even some of the right wingers."

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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2 April 2008

Raiset’s Disinformation

Today I want to go back to the issue of the Authorities, that I talked about the day before yesterday. I have received a sharp reply from one of the Authorities, the one that I feel is the most compromised. It’s Agcom, the Information Authority, a body that should be totally independent, that is made up of persons appointed by the parties, generally former Parliamentarians, some of whom are even rejects. A controller that should control all the controlled ones by whom it has been appointed.

Today they got angry because yesterday I said that these Authorities, just as they are, it would be better to eliminate them because, they don’t serve their function: that of guaranteeing tertiary interests, independence and above all functionality.

Today Agcom has given an angry response, saying that it is carrying out a big task of gathering evidence and controlling the respect of the “par condicio”. It is true, but this is still more serious. It is true that it is gathering evidence with regard to the extent that the “par condicio” is being evaded, violated and outraged by some parties present in the elections, and it is true that this has been brought to light even in relation to Italia dei Valori. In fact, on average, Italia dei Valori has thirty seconds for the thirty minutes that the other parties have. This is something they have picked up, at my request and at my demand. It’s a shame, however, that they haven’t resolved the problem and that they haven’t imposed a remedy. For us we don’t need a doctor who indicates that a tumour exists, but we need a doctor who cures the tumour, the tumour of democracy and the violation of the law.

There are parties, and above all, TV channels, starting with those of the State, that violate the law. There are broadcasts that are in violation of the law as they do not ensure the respect of equal opportunities. There is an Authority, the Authority for Communications, that has this task to ensure the law is respected, that ascertains that it has been violated and does nothing.

Surely on 14 April they’ll say I’m right, saying that they should have done something. But on 14 April the voters will have already voted, and we of Italia dei Valori will not be in a position to give out correct information. For example, the big disinformation that the State TV channels are carrying out, but also the Mediaset channels and other channels, is that of giving it to believe that Italia dei Valori is a party that is not participating in the forthcoming elections. At the next elections, however, this party is there, definitely.
The party is participating in a restricted alliance with the Democratic Party, and as candidate for the post of Premier, it has Veltroni and a single programme. This means that correct information, each time they name Veltroni as candidate for the Premier, they should say that Veltroni is supported by two parties, the Democratic Party and Italia dei Valori.
The RAI always forgets to name it and even worse is Mediaset, because there is no wish to have Italia dei Valori in Parliament, because, and the problem is always the same, because we insist on having a law on telecommunications, that gives greater plurality and independence to the public service and to information. We want a law that resolves the conflict of interests, and we want a law that, in relation to justice, deals with the solid problems of the justice system and not of the chief world systems.

This is why I am turning to the Internet and to you, telling you to pay attention to these things. I have this newspaper in my hand, because there is the usual article by Marco Travaglio who gives information about something that these networks have not spoken. Try reading the article, in which you see how yesterday the magistracy intervened, more than once, with exemplary convictions of people who now will go into Parliament to represent us. But naturally, the big press, the public information of the State, the big information channels forget this. So, for us, we can do no other that use the Internet, and above all, there’s just that Italia dei Valori can go into Parliament as strong as possible, to carry forward these themes of liberty, equality and transparency."

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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28 March 2008

"Graduates and non-graduates", 2 years on, it’s still him

In recent days, Berlusconi, together with his television channels and his newspapers, has been conducting a campaign of denigration aimed at discrediting me personally and the Italia dei Valori party as a whole.
Here are some of the cracks made by Silvio Berlusconi during an interview with Il Tempo on 27 March 2008. I would like to remind the paper’s editor, Giuseppe Sanzotta, in passing, that Silvio Berlusconi is not currently premier.
The premier pulls a face. «My father - he says – told me this one, and it goes something like this. What does the son of a criminal become when he grows up? He only has two job options. Either he becomes a criminal or he becomes a Public Prosecutor». Laughter (abridged)
He then goes back to attacking Antonio Di Pietro. «Di Pietro horrifies me – he states – not because he is ugly, because he is unable to conjugate his verbs, because he does not know his subjunctives, or because of the fact that he gained his degree thanks to the Services. Anyone that speaks as he does could not have got his degree in the normal manner». Absolute jubilation. Berlusconi thinks back to his student days and tells that: «When I was busy preparing for my exams, and getting scores of thirty with distinction, there was a curfew in place in my building in order to ensure that I would study. At Montenero di Bisaccia, instead, no one even knew that Di Pietro was reading for his degree. Not even his parents were aware that he was studying». «Di Pietro horrifies me – continues Berlusconi – because he sent Italians to jail without any proof. A man who has no respect for others is a man that horrifies me ».
As regards the matter of the “degree”, a pet topic that Berlusconi has used on and off throughout all the election campaigns to date, I already gave my response on 30 January 2006 on this very blog:
Graduates and non-graduates
During a recent meeting with Rutelli, the current Prime Minister raised certain doubts as to whether or not I had actually earned my degree and went on to state that his political adversaries are, for the most part, not even graduates.
I talk facts, not lies or allusions.
This is proven by my Degree in Law, which I obtained on 19 July 1978.
The same year that the prime minister (now former) joined the P2 Masonic Lodge.
No judgement based entirely on a political science degree can be absolute. A degree certainly has a certain value. But equally so do political integrity and the ability to govern, which are totally lacking in the centre-right.
I would also like to remind the former Prime Minister that his former brotherhood colleague Bettino Craxi was not a graduate.

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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21 March 2008

Clarity about Italia dei Valori

In this election campaign there has been an attempt by some newspapers and TV channels to exploit certain issues about the coalition of Italia dei Valori with the PD. False exploitation aimed at discrediting us in the eyes of the citizens. In the programme "Otto e mezzo" on Monday 18 March I had the opportunity to clear up some of these points. I’m publishing the video and the text of what I said.

Ritanna Armeni: I would like you to do an analysis of why you have joined up with the Democratic Party, why Boselli was excluded and why the Radicals have become part of their lists.

Antonio Di Pietro:I’ll talk to you about Italia dei Valori, that is the party I represent and I’ll avoid talking about what the others are doing as I’m not a spokesperson for them. Before I start, just so that the citizens know this, as regards information and the complaints of my colleague Boselli, this is news that has come out this evening that the Communications Authority have given Mediaset a fine of 100 thousand euro for not having respect towards Italia dei Valori and information that is correct and plural. Furthermore, it gives an order to be obeyed, word for word, for the request for equilibrium by Agcom itself to the advantage of IdV and the other parties. I’m saying this because it is too easy to say “we are a bigger party, those are tiny parties”. It depends on the space and the opportunity that one is given. Having said this, I’d like to thank you this evening for giving this possibility to express our ideas. But information remains an issue, about which Italia dei Valori will be fighting in Parliament in the near future, whether we are in the majority or in opposition. I’m saying that to one who knows his stuff, because someone has said that I horrify him because I remind him every day, and I’m referring to Berlusconi, that he is violating the verdict of the European Court of Justice and the verdict of the Constitutional Court. Thus, let citizens know that they will see in Italia dei Valori a political formation in Parliament that will fight to resolve the conflict of interests and to resolve the law on communications that we believe to be totally to the disadvantage of equal opportunities, of correct information and of its independence.

Lanfranco Pace: We’ll come back to this later Minister.

Antonio Di Pietro:Let me tell the citizens, just for once when I am in a position to give information, about the topics for which Italia dei Valori is fighting, that then are a response to your question. It’s not that I am wandering away from the question. When you asked me why Italia dei Valori is present with its own symbol, with its own party, that is not a “satellite party” of the Democratic Party, for whom we ask for the votes, because we are convinced that we represent with our identity and our commitment on certain concrete topics, issues that otherwise would not be brought to the attention of Parliament. This is why there is the presence of Italia dei Valori which is allying itself, but is not becoming, nor will it become, the Democratic Party. Italia dei Valori is a political formation that exists and that will exist the day after the elections, in fact, it will get even stronger. We are convinced that the Italia dei Valori formation is a formation that is needed for these battles: justice, the rule of law, correct information, and equality of opportunity.

Lanfranco Pace: However, you gave the impression that you were not against participating in a constituent phase of the Democratic Party and over time possibly to become part of the Democratic Party.

Antonio Di Pietro:I’ve never said this. I’ll explain it again. Not to you – and I thank you for the opportunity to explain to the citizens. Italia dei Valori is a political formation that has underwritten the programme that the Democratic Party and Italia dei Valori have written after having reviewed and corrected it together. What is true is that there are fundamental topics as regards justice, as regards correct information, as regards “Ad Personam” laws that have to be done away with, as regards the rule of law, like the non acceptability of candidates who have been convicted. We have already applied this for ourselves and we want it to become law in the next Parliament. This specific requirement of Italia dei Valori makes it a party that exists and that will continue to exist. Once the programme has been written, and once that both recognise the candidate for the position of leader, another thing is to put together a unified group for the Lower House so that a single voice can represent the choice of the parliamentarians within the Lower House. This is why I am keen to repeat that it is not true that it’s necessary to vote either for the Popolo Delle Libertà {People of Liberty}or for the Partito Democratico {Democratic Party}. It’s possible to vote for Italia dei Valori and the vote is not lost. Then, as regards myself and to be correct towards friend Boselli, I intend saying that I believe that vote is useful if the citizen has trust . Thus I am not campaigning to say “vote for us because we are within the coalition” Don’t vote for the parties but for the people.

Lanfranco Pace: However, Veltroni, had given it to be understood that you would be taking part, unlike the socialists, in the constituent phase

Antonio Di Pietro:I’m telling you for the third time. The constituent phase for the Democratic Party has already happened and they already have Veltroni as candidate. We have done the constituent phase for Italia dei Valori. I never play with words and I don’t intend being swallowed up.

Lanfranco Pace: A political identity that is different from and separate from the Democratic Party

Antonio Di Pietro:Specific and fighting on specific topics. Boselli is right when he says that he has made the choice of ..

Lanfranco Pace: …antipolitics that helps politics. Yes?

Antonio Di Pietro:Forgive me. I don’t know what you think of antipolitics. I say that the one who is antipolitical is that gentleman who goes into politics to do his own business, who celebrates with little pasties when he is convicted and who puts himself forward as a candidate for Parliament, when he is a candidate to further his own interests. To be political, however, is that behaviour of the citizens who get together, even by using the Internet, and they create a popular draft law and when they propose a referendum to revoke laws that they feel are unjust and unjustifiable. To let you understand something: this concept of antipolitics is a false affirmation that tends to discredit people. This is why I say that antipolitics is the behaviour of convicts who go into Parliament so as not to go into prison.

Ritanna Armeni: It is true that it has been said, not by yourself, but by Veltroni, that “Di Pietro will then dissolve into the parliamentary group and will thus enter the Democratic Party”. You have said that this will not happen and we take note of that.

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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Election spoof

During the month pf February, Mister Silvio Berlusconi’s newspapers, periodicals and television channels began a veritable campaign of disinformation at my expense.
Every accusation formulated by the media belonging to the head of the centre-right, regarding my alleged improper utilisation of election reimbursements granted to the Italia dei Valori party landed up appearing utterly ridiculous when the Preliminary Investigation Magistrate of Rome archived the case, which was opened only as a matter of official duty.
I had requested the Court to issue a ruling on the matter as soon as possible, since I was convinced that the accusations were entirely unfounded. Others within the centre-right, however, normally count on endless delays occurring in the legal process, until the statute of limitations comes into effect, or else so that laws are made to measure to fit the crime.
Take a good look at the covers and first pages of Mister Berlusconi’s magazines and newspapers dedicated to me and you will understand precisely how totally the electoral competition has been skewed by one person in particular, who uses the media as he wishes to support his allegations and to destroy his adversaries. Herewith the decision handed down by the Court of Rome, which I have also forwarded to the major blog sites, along with a request that the same amount of space be given to this decision as was given to the fictitious claims they published regarding me.

www.ilvelino.it
www.legnostorto.com
www.ilgiornale.it
www.lapadania.com
www.ilvelino.it
www.opinione.it
www.iltempo.it
www.loccidentale.it
blog.panorama.it
www.libero-news.it
www.comincialitalia.net
www.ccsnews.it

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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19 March 2008

The disinformation bosses

Friends of the blog, I want to tell you about a case that relates to me personally, from which it is possible to draw the moral of the fairy story as regards disinformation, that is the cause of the decay of democracy in our country.

In 2006, two days before the elections, Berlusconi’s Il Giornale sent to its front page headlines of the type: “Di Pietro denounced, investigated”, for an incredible series of crimes. It seemed that we had gone back to the times of Mani Pulite, when, for every investigation that I carried out, I was subjected to ten other investigations, as though the fault was mine and not that of those that had committed the crimes.

And in this case too, given that Italia dei Valori is having success, lo and behold this news item arrives. It was a question of one of those characters in search of an author that is making a denunciation every day, one day in relation to one person, and the next day in relation to another person. The denunciation in this case was completely pie in the sky, however, given that there was voting two days later, some citizens might have thought: “why on earth am I voting for Italia dei Valori?” Do you see how it is possible to be undermined by information? Not by the denunciation as such. Every citizen has the right to make a denunciation and every magistrate has the right to investigate, in fact he has the duty to investigate. And every person under investigation, especially if they are a politician, has the duty to rush to the magistrate to present his reasoning, instead of getting angry with the magistrates. And that’s what I did.

Without even listening to me, the archiving of the case was called for. The denunciation was so muddled up that the judge didn’t even want to hear what I had to say. There was opposition to the call for the archiving of the case and the hearing of the opposition request was fixed for February of this year. Now, given that the Government has fallen and we have to go to elections, three days before the archiving of the case, for three days in a row, that newspaper, accompanied by that type of information thundered out always on the front page “Di Pietro under investigation”. In reality I was not under investigation, they had already called for the archiving of the case. Well then, why did they do this? Let’s reflect.

How does information work now? It’s enough to place a news item, even not true, on the front page. It’s not necessary for people to buy Il Giornale, what’s important is that every evening, before they go to bed, and every morning before they go to work, almost all the citizens listen to the summary of the press headlines. Thus all citizens have that hammering of their mind with the news headlines that are on the front pages, while they are putting on their pyjamas and while they are taking them off.

Here I’ll open a separate topic. I’ll tell you about a specific case to make clear how sensitive this situation is. A few days ago, I saw a tuppenny newspaper, where you could read: “Pamela Prati: la mia vera storia con Di Pietro” {Pamela Prati: my real story with Di Pietro} And yet I have never had anything to do with Pamela Prati. I went off to read the rag and in a line written really tiny, it said: “I have never had anything to do with Di Pietro”. But in the meantime, all those who read the front page, got an idea that is completely the opposite of the real state of affairs. Now, if it’s a question of Pamela Prati that’s OK, if it’s a question of honour, or of really serious accusations, or if it’s a matter that is criminally relevant, this is a serious danger for anyone in politics.

Thus, I’m not criticizing Il Giornale because it passes on information, in fact I accept criticism, but I cannot accept the falsity of a news item.

I did not ask for the postponement of the hearing and I went all the same. When I went there, I found that the one accusing me was asking for the postponement of the hearing until after the elections. How’s that? For the first time you find a politician rushing to the judge asking to be judged early and you want to judge me later? I opposed the request and the judge judged me then. So there we are, today the judge says: archiving the Di Pietro case because “il fatto non sussiste” {the fact does not exist}. “Il fatto non sussiste”, in judicial terms means that, if I had been accused of murder, the person considered to be dead, in fact is alive. As well as that, the judge added that the documents are to be sent to the public prosecutor to examine the possibility of the crime of calumny of the one who has been denounced.

Do you think that tomorrow morning, that newspaper will put the news item on the front page with the addition of “excuse us Di Pietro”? No. I’ll tell you what will happen: in the next few days and for every election campaign, for as long as there’ll be Di Pietro and Italia dei Valori, during the election campaign there will always be someone who, instead of measuring up political topics, will be measuring up defamation. And tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, they’ll be inventing something else, and then something else as well. Not because the fact is true or false, but because in this way they are trying to put the brakes on the political work of a party like Italia dei Valori, that has made transparency and the rule of law its whole essence.

So, I’m turning to you, you who surf the Internet, you who have sent different messages and emails asking for explanations and worrying about the developments on this matter. I have scanned in this statement and you can find it at this link. Read it.
It is a exactly what tells you how it is possible for someone to stop the political work of a party that is fighting for the rule of law, trying to defame, instead of engaging with the political topics.
Reflect on this, because that newspaper is the property of the gentleman who want to be the President of the Council and he’ll do it in this way and that’s what he’ll do, and if it happens that he really becomes President of the Council: he will eliminate his own opponents in this way.
It’s not by chance that he has asked Ciarrapico to be a candidate with him, because he needs a few extra journalists so as to be able to do a bit more disinformation. Then, if you will allow this, let the facts speak. The facts speak clearly. Of that person, there’s very little in which you can trust. He uses punches below the belt to reach the results that he could not get otherwise, because he has no credibility.

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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16 March 2008

Italia dei Valori supports Grillo’s Referenda on Information

The national elections are deeply influenced by the lack of true information. The citizens do not have the possibility of making up their minds on the programmes of the parties and furthermore, there is hardly any trace of some parties in the media. One of these is Italia dei Valori. Public financing of publishing makes it possible for newspapers like il Foglio and Libero to exist because of money from the citizens. These are effectively Berlusconi newspapers that are form an organic whole with him. A European verdict, coming after analogous Italian verdicts, decreed that Rete 4 must leave the frequencies that it occupies, so that they can be used by Europa 7. Nothing has happened and every evening Emilio Fede does his job as spokesperson for the PDL. This is not true democracy. In fact it’s not possible for a democracy to exist without free information. The current publishing/politics connudling must be eliminated. Italia dei Valori has decided to give its support to the three proposals for referendum: “Free information in a free State” laid before the Court of Cassation last Thursday by Beppe Grillo together with young people from his movement.

The three referenda have the objective of overturning:

- the Gasparri law about the balance of the radio-TV system that hands over to a single private individual (basically to a political party) half the national TV information.

- public financing for publishing that, in fact, make publishing subject to the parties

- the abolition of the Order of Journalists

The signatures for the referenda will be collected throughout Italy on 25 April. Italia dei Valori is offering, not only its support, but also its availability for operational support.

Download the V2-day flyer with the referenda proposals.

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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11 March 2008

Have a good look at who the candidates are

This is an invitation to Internet surfers: the lists for the election campaign have been officially put forward and for the presentation of the candidates who will go into Parliament.
As well as asking for their voting certificates we of Italia dei Valori asked our candidates for their criminal clearance certificates. We have no convicted felons.
I urge you to look what has happened in some other parties, and I’m saying this because I have noted a few names that I remember from the time when I was a magistrate. Even at that time, I saw their names in a list one above the other, but they were the lists of those in the register of people under investigation, some in the register of those on trial and even, some in the list of those who had been convicted and sentenced. So I’m reflecting, going beyond the beautiful words of “the rule of law, security and justice”, going beyond the beautiful words of “generational change” and “the new”. Have you seen Casini who says “the new” and then puts forward Cuffaro as a candidate?. Have you seen Berlusconi who says “rise up again Italy” then he has made to rise up again Sciascia, the finance director of his publishing group, the one who created the funds to pay the bribes through Berruti to the Guardia di Finanza {Finance Police}: they have both been convicted, Berruti and Sciascia. Berruti has already been in Parliament, Sciascia, they are sending there now. So, watch out for the names of the candidates, because looking at those you can see who is being serious and who is walking all over us, trying to bamboozle you one more time.
To avoid making mistakes, I’m looking at the names of all the candidates, remembering what has been my past experience, and in the next few days I will make out a list, first and second names, of these people. In this way you will know who the candidates are, because in the election lists you won’t find their names, you cannot find them there, however you will know which party they belong to and , as the saying goes, “tell me who your companions are and I’ll tell you who you are!”
Given that Berlusconi is going with Ciarrapico, we know that he is also a fascist. Given that we know that certain parties are putting forward as candidates convicted felons and people who celebrate with little pastries even when they are convicted, thus it means we know who they are. I will list them for you, one after the other, so that you will know, because what has happened in the past must never happen again.
The other time, in Puglia, something strange happened to me: I couldn’t have a direct face to face discussion between myself, a candidate, and the other candidate who was called Frigerio. He never turned up for the appointment. So much so that three or four days before the elections, I went to the Appeal Court to find out about this person Frigerio, who didn’t even have a photo for publicity during the election campaign. I discovered that he’s called Gian Stefano Frigerio, from Cernusco sul Naviglio, in Lombardy, and that he went to be a candidate in Puglia, between San Marco in Lamis and Manfredonia, near to Padre Pio’s territory, making out that he was a pious and devoted person, when in reality he was one of those who go “pijo pijo”, in that he had been convicted more then once for having received bribes during his institutional activity in the Region of Lombardy.
In Puglia no one knew him and they thought “Is he from San Marco in Lamis? Is he from Manfredonia? Is he from Torre Maggiore or from a village round here? Perhaps I’m the one who is stupid. How come I don’t recognise someone like that?” They voted for him by putting a cross on the symbol for Forza Italia, and he went into Parliament: he had a mountain of convictions, a convict who should have gone to San Vittore {a prison} and instead he found himself in Montecitorio {Parliament}.
Given that this time I don’t want to run the risk that citizens don’t have the information, very soon I will draw up a list with the names of these candidates in alphabetical order, or if you prefer in the order of convictions, so that you will be able to do a great automatic search, according to the ones with the most convictions or following the alphabetical order, just as you prefer.

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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8 March 2008

Squint-eyed information

The protests against the Italian radio and television system, specifically as regards television coverage of the electoral campaign, are well founded. What we are talking about are the questionable choices in terms of television news broadcasts and in-depth reports.
There is a form of objective preference being given to certain political figures, even if they are not candidates for the position of premier, who are given daily exposure. Others, instead, are given few opportunities to appear. For this reason, the Italia dei Valori party will be appealing to the vigilance and control Authority, requesting that all the political forces be given equal exposure in the various programmes and newscasts.
Here is my letter that was sent off to Corrado Calabrò, Chairman of the Communications Control Authority.


"Dear Mr. Chairman,
As representative of the candidates of the Italia dei Valori party, which will be taking part in the upcoming elections as part of an alliance but with its own, recognisable emblem on the ballot sheets, I wish to point out that, on the basis of numerous reports received from many parts of the country, there is clear shortage of representation of our candidates, even in relation to the importance of these elections, thereby essentially not allowing us equal access to the media, in terms of equitable and impartial treatment, in order to enable us to put out our political message.
In a number of the radio and television broadcasts, inter alia, the Italia dei Valori party is automatically assumed to be part of the election lists of the Democratic Party, which supports Walter Veltroni while, as stated previously, we are dealing with a mere association.
For the abovementioned reasons, we request that the Authority carry out an immediate investigation and that you implement appropriate compensatory measures to remedy this imbalance.
In the certainty that the Authority will grant our request, please accept our kindest regards.
Antonio Di Pietro"

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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Democracy and information

I have decided to report the members of the Communications Control Authority to the judicial authorities for failing to take action against the current partisan and criminal use of television programming. I am referring to the allocation of television airtime to the fortunate few party representatives, at the almost total expense of others, amongst them the Italia dei Valori party.
Skewed information, such as is happening at present, is turning free elections into a farce worthy of Ceaucescu and Pinochet. Without free exchange of information there can be no democracy, and the outcome of elections is obviously affected.
The Communications Control Authority has not raised a finger in terms of implementing the European decision regarding the case of Europa7 and moving Rete4 to the satellite broadcasting service and has, instead penalised Anno Zero for alleged inconsistency. How many votes are gained from the propaganda touted by Emilio Fede, the illegitimate news director who has been busy, full-time, singing the praises of an aspirant premier who also happens to be his boss?
The Authority is doing nothing of that which it is paid to do by the Italian population, namely, to watch over information. Unfortunately, the outcome of my report will not be known prior to the elections. Nevertheless, this Authority must be tabled for discussion immediately after the elections.
It has become nothing more than a fig leaf with which to hide the huge conflict of interests between politics and information, which represents a real danger for democracy.
I am also posting a statement I made on video, recorded this morning, on this precise topic.

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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Democracy and information

I have decided to report the members of the Communications Control Authority to the judicial authorities for failing to take action against the current partisan and criminal use of television programming. I am referring to the allocation of television airtime to the fortunate few party representatives, at the almost total expense of others, amongst them the Italia dei Valori party.
Skewed information, such as is happening at present, is turning free elections into a farce worthy of Ceaucescu and Pinochet. Without free exchange of information there can be no democracy, and the outcome of elections is obviously affected.
The Communications Control Authority has not raised a finger in terms of implementing the European decision regarding the case of Europa7 and moving Rete4 to the satellite broadcasting service and has, instead penalised Anno Zero for alleged inconsistency. How many votes are gained from the propaganda touted by Emilio Fede, the illegitimate news director who has been busy, full-time, singing the praises of an aspirant premier who also happens to be his boss?
The Authority is doing nothing of that which it is paid to do by the Italian population, namely, to watch over information. Unfortunately, the outcome of my report will not be known prior to the elections. Nevertheless, this Authority must be tabled for discussion immediately after the elections.
It has become nothing more than a fig leaf with which to hide the huge conflict of interests between politics and information, which represents a real danger for democracy.
I am also posting a statement I made on video, recorded this morning, on this precise topic.

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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6 March 2008

Thank you

By reading the website of Sole24ore, I have learned that among Italian political blogs www.antoniodipietro.com is the most frequented. Note that since 28 February when the article was published, this blog has gone up by 30 places in the global classification, going from position 63 as described by Sole24or to position 33 today.
I thank all blog users for the results obtained.
"28/02/2008 – CLASSIFYING BLOGS
The day will go down in history for the Berlusconi-Di Pietro encounter (well, perhaps…) but from the viewpoint of the Internet, it’s a question of sparks between the king of the TV channels and the leader of the bloggers.
Oh yes, because Antoniodipietro.com is of the Italian political blogs, the most frequented blog on the Internet, it’s at an incredible 63rd position overall in the Italian blogosphere.
That’s what has been declared by the special Blogbabel classification, that we are having fun examining. In reality under the heading “political personalities” you don’t see those who frequent the Palace in the strict sense, unless for “Palace” you mean the Palace of Justice in Milan: second is in fact Piero Ricca (in position 99 overall), the man who shouted out "Puffone!" at Berlusconi in that location. Do you remember?
To find another “real” politician, you have to go for the third place (149th position) with Alfonso Pecoraro Scanio. Defending the honour of the Centre Right there’s Gianfranco Micciché in fifth place (257th position) and so on.
It’s a classification to be followed day by day, just to understand where the index of what pleases Internet surfers is going. Is it a worthy substitute for electoral preferences? ..”

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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3 March 2008

Letter to Articolo 21

On my blog, I’m publishing a letter I sent to Giuseppe Giulietti of Articolo 21.

"Dear Beppe, dear friends,
For some time now I have been following with sincere participation and support the battles of Articolo 21, to establish in our country a principle and a fundamental value, that of liberty, of pluralism and above all of the rule of law in the sector of communications, all battles that you have always been conducting, not against anyone, but to affirm absolute principles and values that are those laid out in our constitution. I am writing these few lines to tell you that Italia dei Valori, obviously while fully respecting our mutual autonomy, intends putting itself at the service of your work so that even in Italy we can bring about an information system, especially on the TV, that is open, plural, with at last the conflict of interests being regulated, to free the RAI and all the professionalism working there from the yoke of politics, and finally so that other new operators in all information sectors can find a market disciplined by rules that are clear and certain that allow the organisations to grow and to establish themselves.

In other words, we would be pleased if Italy were to abandon that black mesh that is given to it by the main international institutions that are concerned with the freedom of the media and of the markets, and so that it can at last become, even in this sector, a country that is fully European.

So basically, I am taking on your campaign for liberty, the rule of law and quality in the sector of the media. And it is for this very reason that Italia dei Valori would be delighted, not only to have within its list (and within the bounds of the agreement reached with the Democratic party in support of Walter Veltroni as a candidate) with full independence of thought, our friend Giuseppe Giulietti who is one of the main activists in this battle but also and above all so that he can put himself forward as a guarantor for the future of this liberty and independence that I believe is a great cultural heritage in our country.

Warm and affectionate greetings to Beppe and to all of you.”

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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25 February 2008

A story made up of legality

A reader has drawn my attention to this video appearing on You tube, which acknowledges some of the battles going on in favour of legality and transparency within the institutions.

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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Clean information for a clean Parliament

Berlusconi’s “Il Giornale”, as well as “Panorama”, also from the Berlusconi stable, blares with the headline “Di Pietro under investigation”, detailing a never-ending string of crimes. It would appear that they are carrying out heaven alone knows what sort of investigation with regard to me, and heaven alone knows all the crimes I am supposedly guilty of, together with the other leaders of the “Italia dei Valori” party regarding public contributions allegedly received.
As a matter of fact, this issue relates back to a series charges laid by one of the sympathisers and members of the “Italia Dei Valori” party, who subsequently left because he could no longer support our policies and, in doing so, unleashed no less than 13 cases in civil court and one more in the criminal court. All of the civil court cases have now been heard, all of which he lost and for which he was obliged to bear the legal costs. This person has not even bothered to pay the legal costs that he was ordered to pay for all 13 cases and, precisely because of this failure to comply with the provisions of the sentence regarding the false accusations contained in his charges, his home has been seized and put up for sale.
Based on the same allegations, this person also submitted the same claims to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, which, already in March of last year, requested that the claims be archived due to lack of sufficient grounds to proceed, issuing a preliminary statement that the person in question is emotionally involved in all of the claims and is not entirely clear as regards his expression of wishes. Thus, in the words of the Public Prosecution, what is being requested is archiving rather than investigation, in terms of which I was not even questioned since it was not deemed to be necessary. Today, on the eve of the elections, this is being turned around by Berlusconi’s newspapers, namely “Il Giornale” and “Panorama”, into an accusation to be spread out on the front page in an attempt to denigrate and defame an adversary.
We must think about this. In recent days, I threw down the gauntlet and proposed the need for the kind of information that is not subservient to any master’s orders, a kind of information that is independent and transparent. Democratic is that Country and population where those who govern are subjected, amongst the many controls, to a kind of information that tells the facts for what they really are.
These same facts were already used at the time of the 2006 elections, since they date back to 2004, however, they had already been dismissed and the civil decisions already handed down, which proved the total lack of grounds for the claims made by this compulsive letter-writer, who was going around laying charges left and right at all the courts. In 2006 they used this tactic in an attempt to discredit us during the electoral campaign, and only now they have once again been exhumed on a technicality, which I will explain shortly, in yet another attempt to discredit us during this electoral campaign.
The technicality is quite simple: if, when a request for archiving has been submitted, the counterpart, in this case the professional, compulsive letter-writer, lodges an objection to the archiving, a hearing has to be held in order to discuss the objection to the archiving of the case.
As far as I am aware, no criminal action has been instituted because such action has never begun and there have never been any hearings held in this regard.
The moral of the story: when, during an electoral campaign, on the very day when the “Italia dei Valori” Party and the Democratic Party countersign a very precise election programme laying out undertakings on what is to be done for the electorate, including concrete actions envisaged in the fields of legislation, employment, security and information, our opponents feel the need to resort to exploiting this kind of untruth in an attempt to undermine our electoral campaign, then it means that they are really becoming desperate.
There is also another, far more important moral: it becomes obvious that, during the election campaign, when we say that the next Government will have to address the issue of conflict of interests, this is a patent example of the problem because, as long as we have to trust the party in power to also control the flow of information, we will be faced with the continuous and effective use of this very same information apparatus to disintegrate the political opposition. It hurts and bothers me, but I have nevertheless grown accustomed to it, however, how many other people are able to withstand the current level of disinformation in our Country?
One of the topics that the “Italia dei Valori” party is re-launching during this electoral campaign is precisely this: clean information for a clean Parliament.

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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