Alex Edelman / EPA
Donald Trump will decide who asks the questions. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa accused the American homologous of being “sliding to the dictatorship”. As for Portugal, the head of state considers that scrutiny is a price to pay by those who hold political positions.
Donald Trump announced new rules for the White House this Tuesday, decide that journalists can ask you questions.
MARCELO REBELO DE SOUSA reacted, condemned and accused the US homologist of being implementing the “Invisible Journalism”.
“Journalists are invisible. They may be there, but it is a present body figure. They are not, ”he said.
The Portuguese head of state went further and almost called dictator to Trump (at least directly), having described this option as “sliding from democracy to dictatorship.”
The President of the Republic spoke at the Press House in Lisbon at the opening session of a debate on the 1975 Press Law, published 50 years ago, which enshrined the ban on any form of censorship.
“Not knowing what dictatorship is, the risk of dictatorship is not understood And the risk of sliding ramps from democracies for dictatorships is not understood. And yet today, just open televisions – I don’t talk about social networks anymore – to watch in democratic countries of the strongest to what is sliding from democracy by dictatorship, ”he said.
Referring to Donald Trump, Marceloacrescented: “When the president of the oldest and most reputed as strong democracy has just made known which authorized journalists to ask him questions at the press conferences, at the downtown, in the center of power, everything is said.”
“Everything is said”repeated.
Journalists cannot be journalists
The head of state criticized the new rules of the White House for the media, commenting that “We only truly miss the US Executive asking the questions”, and then “give the answers he wants to give”.
“He would say ‘look, I would ask myself this; And what I answer is that, ‘”exemplified Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
“From this moment, No journalisttruly, respecting the ethical codes, feels good participating in a press conferencein a meeting with those responsible for the power of a democracy, knowing that only him, not the others who are in the room, are allowed to ask questions. ”
In Portugal they can (and have it)
Referring to scrutiny What Portuguese politicians (namely within the government) are subject and have been targeted by the media, Marcelo said this is a price to pay by those who hold political positions.
Asked it is considered that journalists are pressuring the government, regarding the Prime Minister’s family company, Luís Montenegro, and rulers with real estate companies, the head of state replied that he would not comment on “concrete cases” relative “to political issues and news and speculation and such”.
Earlier this week, he reported that Montenegro’s Hard Core believes a “Strategy concerted to wear out the Prime Minister”. In addition, it pointed to a Hostile editorial attitude by RTPagainst the executive leader.
However, in a note on the morning of Wednesday by RTP’s information board, the public television said that it will not be conditional by such statements.
“The scrutiny of public authorities is one of the main missions of free and independent journalism. This is also the mission of RTP. Whatever they may be and wherever the alleged “concerted strategies” are innade only a simple and linear response: RTP journalists are not conditioned and will continue to do their professional duty, ”can read.
The President of the Republic argued that “Communication has a role to play,” which can be “unpleasant to holders of political powers, but it is a price”.
