- Photojournalists accredited in the Basque Parliament have denounced that the legislative body "limits the freedom of the press", as it is preventing the media from carrying out their work.
On Tuesday, the Basque Parliament accused "limiting the freedom of the press" and "violating the legitimate right to work" by deciding on photographic and informative follow-up of the activity of the legislature "solely for its services" during the pandemic.
In a letter presented to the Bureau of Parliament and signed by 17 photojournalists, they expressed their "concern" about the ban on entering the investiture session of the lehendakari on Thursday 3 September. In the past, the photographers were unable to access the constituent session of the new Basque Parliament.
"We believe that the absence of photojournalists in Parliament and the exclusive exercise of legislative activity by the local services undermines the plurality and free and truthful information that the law recognises to all citizens", they have denounced. In addition, photojournalists working in the Parliament of Vitoria-Gasteiz stressed that the action taken by the House would be "an attack on a sector seriously affected by job insecurity".
Finally, they called for their functioning in the Congress of Deputies or in the Parliament of Navarre to be taken into account because "professionals continue to work in compliance with all security measures".
According to parliamentary sources, the Bureau, which will meet this Wednesday, 26 August, will analyse the letter sent by photojournalists on this matter.