27/02/2003 - Contrary to the normal procedure, the Italian government announces the new set-up at RAI's Board of Administration

Italian state broadcaster, RAI , is once more at the centre of a political storm following yesterday's resignation of the last two components of what is normally is a five-man Board of Administration. The move came after an extenuating tug-of-war within the right-wing coalition lead by Italy’s prime minister (and media mogul) Silvio Berlusconi. The Lombard League threatened to initiate a crisis if a number of conditions weren’t fulfilled. Yesterday afternoon Antonio Baldassarre, the president of RAI and Chairman of the Board, announced he would only resign once a new agreement about the future set-up of RAI’s board were reached.
A series of emergency meetings between the members of the coalition were held at Mr Berlusconi’s Rome offices, at the end of which it was announced that a solution had been found and the list of appointees was made public. It was also confirmed that RAI2 would be moved from Rome to Milan, thus fulfilling one of the Lombard League’s principle conditions.
What followed was the immediate and angry reactions of the presidents of the Chamber and Senate, respectively Pierferdinando Casini and Marcello Pera whose duties include nominating the new board of the Italian state broadcaster. Both men said they intended safeguarding their prerogatives and would make their decision concerning the new set-up at RAI without consulting either the Government or the Opposition.

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

(Translated from Italian)