The Portuguese TVI News case was today discussed in the European Parliament in the debate about the freedom of press in the EU.

In the mini-plenary session of the European Parliament, Mário David MEP, Vice-President of the EPP Party, participated this morning in the debate on 'Freedom of Press in the EU', a topic brought to discussion by the socialist MEPs after the recent polemic case with the Italian Prime

Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Mário David took the floor and asked the Italian socialist MEP David Sassoli:

"In Portugal, the Spanish company PRISA, a known supporter of the Socialist party and majority shareholder of the Portuguese channel TVI, silenced the TV news of Friday evening", and asked if the Socialist Group also intends to "find out reasons and consequences of this abusive procedure and consider it as flagrant violation of freedom of press."

According to Mário David: "If the Berlusconi case is discussed, then the European socialists also have to accept a debate on the TVI News case."