CARTHAGE, May 2, 2010 (TAP)- On the celebration, Monday, May 3, of the World Press Freedom Day, President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali sent the following message to the chairman of the National Union of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT) and the chairman of Tunisia's Association of Newspapers' Editors (ATDJ):

"I am pleased, as Tunisia is celebrating with the international community, the World Press Freedom Day, to extend warmest congratulations and best wishes to the National Union of Tunisian Journalists' committee members, to the members of Tunisia's Newspapers' Editors committee and the whole information community, and to hail their efforts to promote the national media and communication landscape.

Tunisia's celebration of World Press Freedom Day arises from our will to secure the principles of freedom and democracy as essential foundations of our guidelines and choices aimed to enrich the national media landscape so that it might reflect the extent of awareness, maturity and development reached by Tunisia's people.

We have, since the advent of the change, undertaken initiatives, measures and reforms that have allowed the information sector in Tunisia to fully assume its role as part of the freedom of opinion and expression and the sense of responsibility, without any kind of instructions or supervision whatsoever, out of our deep conviction that the information sector represents a major support to Tunisia's comprehensive development work.

We have seen to it that the relationship between written, audiovisual and electronic media and national institutions is based on the principles of dialogue and respect of the role of these media and their right to have access to information to enlighten public opinion.

As we announced in our election programme ''Together We Meet Challenges'', we will endeavour to reinforce pluralism in the media landscape and carry on our support to the press specialising in analysis and commentary to enrich national dialogue and intellectual pluralism.

We will also see to the promotion of the legislative system regulating electronic information to enable it to get adapted to the developments the world is living through in this field.

We do reaffirm today that in Tunisia there are no taboos or bans and that Tunisian media can deal with all issues without any form of censorship other than that imposed by their conscience as part of compliance with the law and the profession ethics.

The special and sustained care we have provided to the information sector has allowed to enrich the media landscape, increase human skills and develop technical capacities.

It has also enabled the sector to interact positively with the world communication revolution and to take the best advantage of its technologies. We are convinced that information is a major medium to vehicle democratic culture and consecrate human rights and pluralism.

From this viewpoint, we have spared no effort to consecrate free and pluralist information whose aim is to look for the truth and which is based on sincerity, credibility and objectivity.

We have bet for that on the awareness of the sector professionals of their right to exercise freedom and constructive criticism far from any sensational stories, slander or libel, without damaging people's honour and while excluding irresponsible practices which are against our values, the law and the fundamental principles of democracy.

Wile reaffirming on this occasion our consideration to men and women working in this sector for their care to give proof of honesty and objectivity in fulfilling their noble mission, we do urge them to undertake judicious and efficient action and give proof of innovation to provide innovative media content likely to match the changes of the Tunisian society and the foreign world.

We are committed to carry on our support to the information community in such a way as to meet its aspirations for a more advanced and better quality information.

We do reaffirm the need to give proof of credibility in dealing with the different issues interesting public opinion in order to reinforce dialogue and consensus, express the essential needs of our society and defend its vital interests.

Happy day to the information community .''


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