Referedum debate 'surreal as Pokemon'

(ANSA) - Rome, July 27 - President Sergio Mattarella said Wednesday ongoing debate on the date of an upcoming referendum on the government's constitutional reform law is almost as surreal as searching for a Pokemon virtual creature. "Lately I have witnessed debates that are slightly surreal, along the lines of hunting for Pokemon," he said at the so-called 'fan ceremony' ahead of parliament's summer recess in reference to an augmented reality game released this month in which players must capture, battle, and train virtual creatures -called Pokemon - who appear on mobile phone screens as if they were in the same real-world location as the player. "It's been said that the date of the referendum was being changed. Some have even peremptorily called for the new date to be made known. The date of the referendum has not been scheduled, due to the simple fact that it is still impossible to do so," Mattarella said.