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.
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