Scurati case, Rai president denies CEO Sergio: “Proceeding against Bortone does not provide justice. The matter is much more complex”

Marinella Soldi enters the Scurati case with all the weight of her position to distance herself – almost to the point of denying it – from the version of events provided yesterday to the Supervisory Commission by the CEO Roberto Sergio. “I don’t think that the disciplinary proceedings against Serena Bortone do justice to the matter, much less do it do any good […]

Marinella Soldi enters with the full weight of his charge into Scurati case to distance itself – almost to the point of denying it – from the version of events provided yesterday to the Supervisory Commission by the CEO Roberto Sergio. “I don’t think the disciplinary proceedings against Serena Bortone does justice to the matter, much less does it do good for Rai”, reads a statement from the president of the public television service company. “What the CEO reported to the Supervisory Commission is telling partially what happened, without mentioning any significant aspects. Without prejudice to company policies, the so-called Scurati case is still subject to checks by the company Internal Audit management, for which the President has the powers. The draft results of this audit were viewed by both me and the CEO and highlight a situation much more complex than that described by the CEO, which requires a more comprehensive approach”.

Money refers to what was reported yesterday evening by the Supervisory CEO. The hearing had been scheduled well before the events that are now inflaming the company, but the Scurati case and the strike called by Usigrai on 6 May and failed by the union close to the centre-right UniRai inevitably ended up on the discussion table. The intervention of the author of “M – The son of the century” on April 25 blown up at the last minute from the program “What will be…” hosted by Bortone on Rai3 had led the opposition to talk about “censorship” by the leaders of public television. And the presenter herself, who then read the monologue on fascism and anti-fascism live, just three days ago he declared: “For weeks I have been waiting for a public reconstruction from the managers”. Now disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against Bortone, as confirmed by Viale Mazzini: “Rai has sent a letter of disciplinary complaint to Serena Bortone in reference to post published by the journalist on her social profiles on April 20th regarding the Scurati affair. As per practice, the journalist is asked for any possible complaints justifications And clarifications“.

In Supervision Sergio explained: “It was contested in Bortone, as happened in analogous casesthe post published on social media in violation from the legislation from the policy corporate: There are rules that must be respected by all employees. The legislation prohibits to release public statements on company activities, news or facts. The dispute is a due act and will follow the procedure established by the regulation”. Then he added: “It is not a disciplinary measure, but a request for clarifications and explanations which will be evaluated and then it will be decided what type of decisions possibly undertake”. On the Scurati case, however, Sergio commented: “It was not banned either guest participation nor even reading the monologue. And neither participation nor the reading of the monologue which was then performed by Mrs. Bortone on the broadcast was ever prevented. These they are done“.

A version which, however, did not convince President Soldi, who this morning made her thoughts clear, while the issue continues to take center stage on a political level. Stefano Graziano (Pd), Dario Carotenuto (M5s), Maria Elena Boschi (Iv), Mariastella Gelmini (Action), Angelo Bonelli And Peppe De Cristoforo (Avs), group leaders of the opposition parties, have requested that Rai Supervision summon Bortone and the director of Rai in-depth analysis, Paolo Corsiniin order to “to clarify on the Scurati case”. In a letter addressed to the president Barbara Florida they underlined that “during the hearing of the Rai top management last night, a reconstruction of the facts emerged which was very distant from the known one without the Rai top management providing the necessary documentation that demonstrated the truthfulness of what they claimed, as underlined this morning by President Soldi”. The opposition therefore expresses “concern regarding the possibility that the CEO and the general director of Rai have provided information not truthful to the supervisory commission”.

“I am technical regime tests: the instigator is at Palazzo Chigi”, adds Bonelli in a note. While the general secretary of the CGIL Maurizio Landini expresses his “solidarity and that of the entire CGIL to the journalist Serena Bortone. It is very serious that a professional is hit who, in the face of an attack on freedom of information and freedom of expression, which took place on issues such as the Constitution and anti-fascism precisely in the days in which the Liberationdefended and guaranteed these freedoms, enshrined in our Charter, exposing himself personally.”