From Fiat’s industrial retreat to the silence of progressive information: why today journalists discover John Elkann and yesterday they were silent about the disengagement from Italy.
It almost makes me want to defend Jaki Elkann. I know that the Lawyer’s nephew is indefensible and that not even if I were Perry Mason, the legendary American lawyer from the 1960s TV series, would I be able to convince the jury that he was not responsible for the Fiat disaster and even less for that of Repubblica. However, seeing that among those who attack him for the editorial catastrophes there are also some of his employees, who until yesterday were ready to lick his boots, it comes naturally to me to take his side.
When years ago he bought the Espresso group, which had recently become Gedi (with a G, therefore as we later saw nothing to do with the fighters of Star Wars), it was very clear what the reason was why the heirs of the largest Italian automotive hub set foot in publishing. They hoped to do what they a Carlo De Benedetti he had managed very well for years, that is, minding his own business and defending it with his newspapers. In the Agnelli case, Repubblica and Espresso should have guaranteed the withdrawn from Italythat is, ensuring that the transfer of production activities abroad does not trigger a journalistic-union offensive that would lead governments to call a halt.
The industrial retreat covered by silence
It must be recognized that the operation cost various hundreds of millionsshe succeeded. Although both Repubblica and its sister weekly were a black holeor a money-sucking abyss, the investment paid off. In fact, the newspaper founded by Scalfari practically closed its eyes to the move of its main activities, both industrial and financial.
When, for example, the leader of the most important Italian trade union had to be interviewed, that is Maurizio Landiniin the editorial team they were careful not to ask him for an opinion on the moves of the Agnelli house, nor did they urge him to explain the strategy of the CGIL in the face of disengagement in Italy. For years at Repubblica they ignored the moves with which John Elkann he was dismantling the group piece by piece, first listing it in Amsterdam and then diluting it inside Stellantis and opening factories in Serbia and Morocco.
That is, like De Benedetti, the lawyer’s nephew was able to do and undo with almost no one saying a word. Operating calmly without the newspaper dear to the left and the union raising an eyebrow. Basically, let them put themselves in redundancy fund the workers didn’t matter to anyone. Who do you want to be indignant if, in order to make a living, some employee is forced to move to Kragujevacin Serbia, where the Zastavathat is, the machine of the Yugoslav proletariat?
When layoffs affect journalists
Already. But when the ones at risk of being laid off are the journalistsElkann has lost the shield that protected him. If before he was untouchable, now many are coming forward heart of a lion ready to challenge and criticize him. Now that the magazine is on sale and risks being bought by a Greek entrepreneurin the editorial office they realize that the lawyer’s nephew is an ironworks owner without a shred of culture.
From Massimo Giannini to Michele Serraall shooting at Agnellino, accused of being a wolf without heart or vision, but with a lot of money.
The Agnelli feud and yesterday’s silence
Obviously, from our point of view, the colleagues who today allow themselves to attack those who give them a salary have discovered thehot water. We have been describing Mr. Fiat’s strategic retreat from our country for years and for years we have been among the few to tell in detail the family feud underway in Turin.
When Margherita pizzathe “degenerate” daughter who went against her mother and her own children by claiming an inheritance that would have been hidden from her, started a legal war, we were the only ones to publish on the front page the existence of a billionaire treasure hidden in tax havens and stolen from the Revenue Agency. Even though the money was evidently the result of evasion and if it were the most important business family in Italy, the lion-hearted people who attack Jaki today were careful not to open their mouths.
It’s easy to criticize when the owner leaves
Now, that we celebrate the fifty years of a sinking Republicthe crew instead suddenly became talkative and, as Michele Serra did, they allow themselves to say that Elkann lacks the cultural means to be an editor. It is likely that Serra, who spends his days lying in a hammock from which with an extraordinary superiority complex look at the world, he’s right. However, saying it now that Jaki is leaving, or rather, that he is freeing himself from the weight of Repubblica and its republicansit’s easy.
Just as it costs nothing to give Elkann del mediocre and rich entrepreneur dedicated to informationas did Massimo Giannini, who on Friday paid by Agnelli wrote «that out of pure personal convenience he made a desert and called it publishing». Easy to remove pebbles from your shoes when you are left without shoes.
To quote that great philosopher Zagarolo who goes by the name of Stefano Ricucciit’s easy to be a faggot with other people’s asses. Now the dear comrades of Repubblica are trying it with theirs.
