ERC asks Junts for "political responsibility" for the "coercion" of deputy De Dalmases to a journalist

The deputy of Junts, Francesc de Dalmases, in a file image. Toni Albir (EFE)

Esquerra Republicana has asked Junts per Catalunya, its partner in the Government, on Wednesday that the "coercion and intimidation" of the deputy and vice president of the party, Francesc de Dalmases, against a journalist from the program Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS), of TV-3 , have "political consequences".

The Republican parliamentary group has officially submitted a petition to the Board to study whether De Dalmases has violated the code of conduct, but also considers that it is necessary for there to be a show of "public exemplary" given the seriousness of the facts revealed by the FAQS team and confirmed by unions, the regional television directorate itself and professional organisations.

In a statement sent just in the lunch break of the plenary session of the Parliament, from ERC they justify that this step be taken because "they consider it intolerable" how De Dalmases, according to several voices of the TV-3 program, is going to reproach a journalist for the how the interview was conducted.

As confirmed by both the regional television works council and the Catalan Audiovisual Media Corporation (CCMA), the also vice-president of Junts "coerced" and "intimidated" the deputy director of FAQS by grabbing her by the arm, taking her to a room after an interview with Laura Borràs, on July 9, and there to criticize the content of the interview in the presence of the leader of the Chamber herself.

The Republicans believe that, at the very least, “the deputy's attitude” has contravened “at the very least”, the Parliament's rules of conduct.

The ERC decision comes one day after the commons pointed out the same line of action in the case of De Dalmases.

The code of conduct says that, in the case of the public appearance of the deputies (it would not be the assumptions) "care must be taken of the attitude, the language used and the treatment towards information professionals".

Regarding dealings with other deputies and citizens, the text refers to the obligation to "maintain respectful conduct at all times."

The republicans bet like the commons because the Table of the Chamber the petition asks that the Commission of the Statute of the Deputy prepare a report on the facts and "evaluate the possible infractions that the deputy may have committed".

Borràs, by the way, chairs that commission.

The environment of the president of the Chamber and of Dalmases insists that the conversation was of a merely professional nature.

The deputy, via Twitter, had already "apologized" to all those who may have felt offended "by" his attitude, but denying that in any case there had been intimidation towards the professional.

The leader of the Chamber continues to remain silent regarding what happened, despite having been a witness to the events.

Junts also does not clarify whether the case could fit into the assumptions of its anti-harassment protocol, which clearly refers to "any act or omission of force against a woman's body" or "humiliation, humiliation, demand for obedience or submission, verbal coercion, insult, isolation or any other limitation of their scope of freedom”.

PSC, Citizens and now the Republicans will also ask about the case next Friday, when the Control Commission of the Catalan Audiovisual Media Corporation is held in Parliament, in which De Dalmases is precisely the spokesperson for Junts.

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