Mason Jones (Reporter)
THE news that Spain’s right-wing government is attempting to gag journalists who disagree with its policies is an alarming development that brings to mind the dark days of the Franco era.
A free press is one of the cornerstones of any democracy and any attempt to stifle it will never be viewed in anything other than a critical way by the rest of Western society.
It is important therefore given the current financial gloom engulfing Spain that the country is seen as putting on a united front.
This starts with the government and the press working together to promote the country in a positive light.
It would also go some way towards showing that Spain is finally ready to leave the Franco era behind.
Absolutley. It is a very sad sorry state of affairs to see a country which should be well into the 21st century drop back into the 20th in six months.
You cannot get into power by saying one thing and doing the exact opposite. In any other country a government like this would have stepped down and called for a new General Election for the sake of the People. Let the people decide whether they agree with the measures this government are taking to recuperate the monies they need to get out of this crisis. They wont do it by gagging the press it is unconstitutional, as it is unconstitutional to strip the people of the rights it has taken them so long to achieve.