Union requires administration explanations for leaving Lusa without direction

O The Union of Journalists (SJ) today demanded the administration of Lusa public explanations for leaving the company without Information Directorate and this reiterated to the workers that Pedro Sousa Carvalho is the new interim director.

“The SJ expresses its deep perplexity and indignation at the extremely serious situation in which Lusa news agency is located, which is since 00:00 this Saturday without an Information Directorate in office,” he said in a statement.

For the trade union structure, it is “absolutely unacceptable” that Lusa be immersed “in a void of editorial leadership for the responsibility of its Board of Directors”.

Lusa's Drafting Board (CR) announced that the news agency is without a director of information (DI) in office since 00:00 today, due to the “absence of an answer” of the Media Regulatory Authority (ERC).

In a note sent today to the workers, the Management Board (CA) of the Agency reiterated that Pedro Sousa Carvalho is the current interim director of Lusa, without further information.

The news agency’s CoR said that on Friday, the “less than seven hours after the end of the term of exercise of the interim information management, CA asked for an opinion “with exceptional urgency” to the CR and the ERC, to indicate the editor Pedro Sousa Carvalho for interim DI”.

“ This is at a time when the ERC is already considering the name of journalist Diana Ramos for the same position in finality, indicated seven days ago”, he also stressed, in a statement.

The choice of CA came on the day when the mandate of the current interim director, composed by Nuno Simas and Maria de Deus Rodrigues, ended, following the departure of information director Luísa Meireles.

After the choice of CA had been disclosed, the CoR had already accused the administration of exposing the agency to “total misgovernment” and decided to abstain on the appointment of Pedro Sousa Carvalho as new interim director.

For the union, this situation represents “an additional episode of instability in a company that has been confronted in recent months with successive decisions that undermine its editorial autonomy and the normal functioning of journalistic activity”.

SJ said it was particularly serious that the Lusa Administration, knowing the term of office of the interim director, had dragged the process of appointment of the new internal director.

On October 29, journalists Nuno Simas and Maria de Deus Rodrigues agreed to extend the interim leadership of the Information Directorate for a week until last Friday.

“ The responsibility for this situation lies with the Board of Directors, which has the obligation to ensure continuity of editorial leadership and compliance with the law ", insisted.

The trade union structure thus requires the Board of Directors to provide “immediate and immediate public explanations”, adding that Lusa journalists “do not deserve an administration to reach this point”.

The ERC is examining the request submitted by the Lusa administration for the appointment of interim director, today told the official source news agency.

Contacted by Lusa, the ERC reported that “on November 6th, at 5:00 p.m., the Lusa Board of Directors received a request for a prior opinion with exceptional urgency for the appointment of interim director/information transitory of Lusa”.

The same source pointed out that “the entity is examining the application submitted”.

Lusa contacted the Ministry of the Presidency and is awaiting response.