Government guarantees that RTP's editorial freedom is sacred and denies having made criticisms

The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs today argued that the Government sees RTP's editorial freedom as sacred and declared that the executive was not the source of news about an alleged concerted strategy against the Government.

The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Pedro Duarte, was responding in plenary to the Free Party deputy Jorge Pinto, who questioned him about the news in the online newspaper Observador according to which the Government allegedly understands that behind the controversies that have affected the executive there is a cross-agenda between real estate interests and the media.

Observador writes, based on anonymous sources, that the Government believes that the intention to withdraw seven million euros in advertising annually from the public channel led to a more hostile editorial attitude on the part of RTP towards the executive.

In a debate scheduled by the PCP on general policy “focused on the degradation of the country’s social situation”, Minister Pedro Duarte said that the executive intends to strengthen the public media service and that “editorial freedom is absolutely sacred and that is not in question”.

Pedro Duarte assured that the news reported by Observador “did not come from the Government”, stressing that the sources involved were anonymous and asking MP Jorge Pinto to inform the Government if he finds out “anything else”.

In his request for clarification, Jorge Pinto criticized what he called Minister Pedro Duarte's confrontational attitude towards RTP, stressing that the minister had implied that “there could be a partisanship among RTP workers”.

Jorge Pinto also recalled the Government's intention to end advertising on public television, demanded to know who made the statements that served as the basis for the Observador news story and whether the minister agreed with what was reported, adding that “investigation and scrutiny are and must be an essential part of RTP's work.

In another intervention, Pedro Duarte said, in response to the general secretary of the PCP, Paulo Raimundo, that the Government is concerned about income in Portugal, and that the executive will focus on increasing salaries and pensions.

After the Left Bloc MP, Marisa Matias, criticized the state of the National Health Service, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs responded by guaranteeing that the executive, in 10 months, has already reduced the number of Portuguese people without a family doctor and emergency room waiting times and increased the number of professionals in the NHS.

The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs today argued that the Government sees RTP's editorial freedom as sacred and declared that the executive was not the source of news about an alleged concerted strategy against the Government.

The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Pedro Duarte, was responding in plenary to the Free Party deputy Jorge Pinto, who questioned him about the news in the online newspaper Observador according to which the Government allegedly understands that behind the controversies that have affected the executive there is a cross-agenda between real estate interests and the media.

Observador writes, based on anonymous sources, that the Government believes that the intention to withdraw seven million euros in advertising annually from the public channel led to a more hostile editorial attitude on the part of RTP towards the executive.

In a debate scheduled by the PCP on general policy “focused on the degradation of the country’s social situation”, Minister Pedro Duarte said that the executive intends to strengthen the public media service and that “editorial freedom is absolutely sacred and that is not in question”.

Pedro Duarte assured that the news reported by Observador “did not come from the Government”, stressing that the sources involved were anonymous and asking MP Jorge Pinto to inform the Government if he finds out “anything else”.

In his request for clarification, Jorge Pinto criticized what he called Minister Pedro Duarte's confrontational attitude towards RTP, stressing that the minister had implied that “there could be a partisanship among RTP workers”.

Jorge Pinto also recalled the Government's intention to end advertising on public television, demanded to know who made the statements that served as the basis for the Observador news story and whether the minister agreed with what was reported, adding that “investigation and scrutiny are and must be an essential part of RTP's work.

In another intervention, Pedro Duarte said, in response to the general secretary of the PCP, Paulo Raimundo, that the Government is concerned about income in Portugal, and that the executive will focus on increasing salaries and pensions.

After the Left Bloc MP, Marisa Matias, criticized the state of the National Health Service, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs responded by guaranteeing that the executive, in 10 months, has already reduced the number of Portuguese people without a family doctor and emergency room waiting times and increased the number of professionals in the NHS.

The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs today argued that the Government sees RTP's editorial freedom as sacred and declared that the executive was not the source of news about an alleged concerted strategy against the Government.

The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Pedro Duarte, was responding in plenary to the Free Party deputy Jorge Pinto, who questioned him about the news in the online newspaper Observador according to which the Government allegedly understands that behind the controversies that have affected the executive there is a cross-agenda between real estate interests and the media.

Observador writes, based on anonymous sources, that the Government believes that the intention to withdraw seven million euros in advertising annually from the public channel led to a more hostile editorial attitude on the part of RTP towards the executive.

In a debate scheduled by the PCP on general policy “focused on the degradation of the country’s social situation”, Minister Pedro Duarte said that the executive intends to strengthen the public media service and that “editorial freedom is absolutely sacred and that is not in question”.

Pedro Duarte assured that the news reported by Observador “did not come from the Government”, stressing that the sources involved were anonymous and asking MP Jorge Pinto to inform the Government if he finds out “anything else”.

In his request for clarification, Jorge Pinto criticized what he called Minister Pedro Duarte's confrontational attitude towards RTP, stressing that the minister had implied that “there could be a partisanship among RTP workers”.

Jorge Pinto also recalled the Government's intention to end advertising on public television, demanded to know who made the statements that served as the basis for the Observador news story and whether the minister agreed with what was reported, adding that “investigation and scrutiny are and must be an essential part of RTP's work.

In another intervention, Pedro Duarte said, in response to the general secretary of the PCP, Paulo Raimundo, that the Government is concerned about income in Portugal, and that the executive will focus on increasing salaries and pensions.

After the Left Bloc MP, Marisa Matias, criticized the state of the National Health Service, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs responded by guaranteeing that the executive, in 10 months, has already reduced the number of Portuguese people without a family doctor and emergency room waiting times and increased the number of professionals in the NHS.