It is not always easy for a journalist to speak of the European institutions, the work of which "is often distant from the everyday life of the European citizens". This was stated in Rome this morning by Maria Fernanda Gabriel, correspondent from Strasbourg for the Portuguese broadcasting corporation, as she spoke at the meeting on "Europe and citizens: what information?", promoted by the Association of European journalists and the European Parliament. The Portuguese journalist drew attention to those politicians who tend "to make the EU pay the price of unpopular measures" or "their internal problems". "The dim image of Europe in the public opinion largely depends on the responsibility, not to say the irresponsibility, of the political class", denounced Gabriel, accusing the politicians of having a "double personality", when in Brussels they pass some measures and then, once back home, they complain of such measures "as if they had nothing to do with them". However, admitted Jack Hanning, former director of the Press Service of the Council of Europe, "despite everything, the progress of information and communication in Europe is undeniable. Even the leaders have understood that the citizens must be integrated, because, without their support, there can be no democratic organisation of Europe".
