Lusa unions accuse Board of editorial interference

Unions and workers at the Lusa news agency have accused the agency's Board of Directors of attempting to interfere with editorial independence. The dispute centers on the selection process for a journalist to staff the agency's delegation in Brussels.

According to statements from the Journalists' Union (SJ), Site, and Sitese, the Board of Directors admitted to the Workers' Commission (CT) that it could “point out some profiles” for the Brussels role. The unions argue that such decisions fall exclusively under the jurisdiction of the Information Directorate (DI) and the editorial area, labeling the Board's actions as an “unmistakable interference in the editorial sphere.”

The Workers' Commission expressed “perplexity and concern” regarding the Board's involvement in proposing names for service contracts. The issue has also reached the Portuguese Parliament, where a parliamentary committee has requested an urgent meeting and sought access to contract drafts related to international delegates.