Media Freedom Act Infringement Looming Says Opposition

Rome: The opposition lawmakers on the parliamentary commission that oversees State broadcaster Rai said Thursday that the European Commission will open infringement proceedings against Italy on Friday for breaching the European Media Freedom Act by failing to meet a deadline to ensure State broadcaster Rai is free from government control.

According to Ansa News Agency, the opposition parties alleged that a reform of Rai proposed by the government goes in the opposite direction and will actually increase the executive’s ability to influence its output. The reform would mean that only a simple majority in parliament is needed to appoint Rai’s board, rather than two-thirds, as of the third round of voting.

“As of tomorrow, Italy will officially enter infringement proceedings for violation of the European Media Freedom Act,” the opposition lawmakers on the commission said. “This is a very serious act that distances our country from democratic European principles. The Meloni government and the ruling majority are proposing a reform that centralizes power in the head of the government, generating financial instability and resulting in a ‘TeleMeloni Tax’ imposed on citizens, who will have to pay the costs of the EU infringement procedure.”