Tehran, YJC. Rouhani has addressed the closing ceremony of this year’s press festival.
President Rouhani attended the closing ceremony of this year’s
press festival which was held in Vahdat auditorium.
"Holding this festival means that we respect the freedom of
speech,” said Rouhani.
"The government considers responsible freedom,” the president
stated, adding "If some press would intend to disregard society’s principles it
will no doubt weaken or even end its relations with people.”
He asserted that religious sanctities and national/ethnic
values must be respected by all. "Sensitivity is high in our society even
within ethnic groups a considerable lot of whom show reaction even against the
least of mistakes,” Hassan Rouhani pointed out.
He also said "If cultural issues could be solved with
pressure and through the police, we must not have been worried about the
country’s culture today.”
"Multiple times the government’s cultural budget is given to
other organizations. Right now gigantic budgets on culture are given to entities
which are no part of the administrative system,” Rouhani further said.
"The law is to rule, but it has to be transparent,” he said, demanding "Why can
our journals and other press be independent? How many news agencies, websites,
or newspapers belong to organizations which use public funds and how many are
owned by the private sector?”