Gasparri speaks out: "The opposition is lying. RAI has committed no violations after the EU regulation."

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There's the European Media Freedom Act and then there's the Gasparri Act: "It's bullshit, we won't pay any Telemeloni Tax. And then, even if infringement proceedings were initiated, it would take years and years before they had any effect. Do you know how long these proceedings take?" The bureaucratic delays galvanize the indomitable Forza Italia senator. "First, Brussels sends a generic letter, then the government responds. And the correspondence drags on forever." Meanwhile, the European sanctions protecting media independence were implemented yesterday: no more government interference in editorial decisions, then transparent and possibly multi-year funding, and finally, crackdowns on the use of spyware against journalists.

For European Commission President von der Leyen, the measure is "an essential pillar of our democracy," while the opposition believes it's time to open its wallets: "Italy is under infringement proceedings for government interference in RAI." Gasparri disagrees. "The problem doesn't exist. They're idiots on a pyramid scale." In addition to Italy, France and Germany are also at risk of problems with the Berlaymont building. But for now, everything seems to be at a standstill. But is there an infringement or not? "We haven't received any fines. We've checked directly with the EU," assures the senator. The mystery is solved. A few days ago, a new reform of RAI was presented to comply with Brussels' diktat. The board of directors chosen by Palazzo Chigi will be abolished. Three members will be selected by the Chamber of Deputies, three by the Senate. The remaining one will be chosen by the assembly of RAI employees. "Let's move the appointments to Parliament. On the left, however, they'd like to give them to the pizza club and the friends of Quarticciolo." Usigrai, the journalists' union on Viale Mazzini, calls it a "little reform," and for the broad scope of the oversight commission, "it is unacceptable."

"They know they're lying, but they're desperate and don't know what else to do. There's an ongoing debate. If the opposition makes reasonable proposals, we'll evaluate them on their merits ," says Gasparri, who is pushing for the bill to be brought to the floor as early as September. Meanwhile, Simona Agnes ' candidacy for RAI president (supported by Forza Italia) is held hostage by cross-vetoes between the majority and the opposition. Mattarella considers this "disheartening."

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