Media Initiative: send Berlusconi to us for his Social Works period

“We will offer him the possibility to redeem himself thorough the authentic expiation of his faults, he could be useful for others, in a perfect nemesis, in European initiatives aiming at protecting information freedom and plurality.”

“If Berlusconi has to fulfil his Social Works period, dear supervisory magistrate, please send him here.” This is the request made by European Alternatives and Alliance Internationale de Journalistes to the magistrates deciding the possibility for Berlusconi to serve a period of Social Works.

The two organizations has created the European Citizens’ Initiative on the Protection of Pluralism within the Media (www.mediainitiative.eu). It aims at the partial harmonisation of national rules on media ownership and transparency, and at setting standards at EU level for the sufficient independence of media supervisory bodies in the Member States, as established in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

The request complies with the law on Social Works periods, as explained a note by the association, underlining the re-educational and pro-reintegration features to be assigned at the period, in connection of the committed crime. “We will offer Berlusconi the possibility of redemption through the authentic expiation of his faults,” said Lorenzo Marsili and Giovanni Melogli, “he could be useful for others, in a perfect nemesis, in European initiatives aiming at protecting information freedom and plurality within the media.”

“We are sure his experience will prove extremely valuable to better understand the dynamics leading to the concentration of media,” added the two representatives, “and to elaborate effective norms against conflicts of interest between media and politics.”

Ezio Baldari