Vatican Radio transmissions to comply with Italy's emissions law

By The Associated Press

08.28.01

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Editor's note: The BBC reported on Feb. 19, 2002, that a court in Rome had dismissed a case against three officials from Vatican Radio whom Italian prosecutors said were risking lives by violating restrictions on electromagnetic emissions.

Vatican Radio will be in compliance with Italy's emissions law by this weekend, as part of the settlement of a dispute that had threatened the pope's airtime around the world.

In April, the Italian government had threatened to pull the plug on the broadcaster if it didn't comply with Italian law, which strictly regulates electromagnetic emissions.

The dispute was sparked after residents of the town of Santa Maria di Galeria near Rome said they feared some leukemia cases might be linked to the electromagnetic emissions from the nearby Vatican Radio transmitters.

Vatican Radio then agreed to move its medium-wave transmission center, which was built 50 years ago in a once-sparsely populated area that now has about 100,000 residents.

Yesterday, Italian news reports said the Vatican's transmissions would be in line by this weekend, after satellite transmitters and other broadcasters were lined up to take over. Vatican Radio beams the pope's words around the world in 40 languages.

An Italian prosecutor has charged the director of Vatican Radio, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, an Italian cardinal and one other Vatican official with damaging the environment in connection with the emissions dispute.

The Vatican initially had argued that the transmissions were in line with less-strict international standards and that its officials were shielded from prosecution under a 1929 pact with Italy that established Vatican City as an independent city-state.

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Vatican Radio wards off shutdown over health fears
Broadcaster accused of violating Italian government standards for electromagnetic emissions.  04.10.01