Press freedom great value - Mattarella

(ANSA) - Rome, November 12 - Freedom of the press has "great value", President Sergio Mattarella said after anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) attacks on journalists covering Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi's trial and acquittal as "jackals" and prostitutes" amid threats to crack down on publishers.
    "In the morning i read the papers, said Mattarella. "News and comments, those that I share and those I do not share and perhaps the latter for me are more important.
    "Because it is important to know the opinion of others, their views. Those I share are interesting, naturally and are close to my heart; but those I don't share are for me an instrument on which to reflect.
    "And for this reason freedom of the press has a great value because, also reading things that you don't share, even if you deem them wrong, it enables and helps to reflect".
    Mattarella was speaking to students at the Qurinale presidential palace.