Basque parties defend the broadcast of 'Don't call me Ternera', except for the PP: "its life is a summary, not a documentary"

EH Bildu warns of the risks of "partiality" in the documentary by not addressing "other violations of rights"

BILBAO, 23 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) -

PNV, EH Bildu, PSE-EE, Elkarrekin Podemos and Cs have defended the broadcast of the documentary 'Don't call me Ternera' at the San Sebastián Film Festival, while the Popular Party has considered, on the other hand, that the film "dulls " Zinemaldia, since Urrutikoetxea's life should be "in a summary, not in a documentary."

In a debate on Radio Euskadi, the Basque parliamentarians referred to the presentation this Friday at the San Sebastián Film Festival of the documentary 'Don't call me Ternera', about the former ETA leader Josu Urrutikoetxea.

In this sense, the PNV parliamentarian Aitor Urrutia has shown his willingness to see the documentary and has considered that it has "journalistic and general interest", since Urrutikoetxea has "conditioned the individual and collective life of this country."

In his opinion, "it is not negative" that the former ETA leader offers his version and he has warned that we are all "old enough to see and read everything." "Enough of censorship", he has demanded.

After regretting the "media noise" suffered, he has transferred his support to Zinemaldia, which has "a group of professionals who with good judgment usually select the films and shorts that are screened in the sections."

"Regarding what memory is, I wish other documentaries could also be given to clarify all types of attacks and problems experienced in the past," he expressed in reference, among other issues, to the GAL.

For his part, EH Bildu parliamentarian Mikel Otero has acknowledged not having seen the documentary, although he has warned of the "risks" it may present such as "bias" and the fact that "it focuses almost exclusively on a part of the violations of rights, those of ETA, and the rest are not even addressed."

"The attempt at censorship and the fact that it was not broadcast is not new, but it is still just as unacceptable. This inquisitorial attitude ends up generating a climate of self-censorship among cultural creators so that only one type of story can be made about the history of the country. This affects freedom of expression, which prevents us from creating a more multifaceted and rich story," he argued.

Furthermore, he has questioned "what is wrong with reviewing the past" and has warned that the different violence and violations of human rights have had "many animators and very diverse organizations", within a "multifaceted" reality.

For his part, the PSE-EE parliamentarian Ekain Rico has acknowledged that he is struck by the fact that "a documentary that has not been seen is so prejudged" and has highlighted that several victims of terrorism have assured that the documentary "does not legitimize or whitewash to ETA".

After defending that no "argument, context or theory of the opposing sides can serve to legitimize ETA's violence", he stressed that the former leader of ETA did not like the documentary "as it was not able to convey the false theory of the conflict." . "We also know that it bothers those from the Abertzale Left who support the false theory of the opposing sides," he concluded.

From Elkarrekin Podemos-IU, Iñigo Martínez has also been pleased that there was no prior censorship and the documentary was able to be broadcast on Zinemaldia programming.

"A controversy that already happened at the time with 'La pelota vasca' has been overcome. The documentary will surely serve to give the word and understand a very recent historical phenomenon in the Basque Country," he indicated, adding that "it is important along the way." and the delegitimization of violence".

The PP spokesperson in the Basque Parliament, Carmelo Barrio, has stated that he has no major interest in seeing the film and has considered that an event like the San Sebastián Festival "is spoiled by this journalistic experience."

"If Miguel Ángel Blanco's sister or Gregorio Ordóñez's widow ask that the documentary not be shown, I think we should listen to them," he said.

Likewise, he has indicated that the key is that "Ternera does not regret anything" and, therefore, one can "talk about whitewashing by giving him the category of valid interlocutor." "The life of Josu Ternera does not have to be in a documentary, it has to be in a summary," he emphasized.

Finally, he considered that the ETA leader has "manipulated" Jordi Évole, his interviewer, since "he does not talk about the crimes that he knows about" and limits himself to those affected by the 1977 amnesty.

Finally, the representative of Cs José Manuel Gil has asserted that the first place where he wants to "listen to Josu Ternera is before the judge when he is extradited to face the cases he has open" in Spain.

"As a liberal, I do not agree that an artistic work should be vetoed a priori. I do not believe that interviewing someone is whitewashing them, it depends on how it is done," he stated.

Finally, he has been in favor of "what ETA has done not be forgotten" so if these works help explain it to new generations "they are welcome." However, he has warned that there could be a "mythologization" of Urrutikoetxea by young people.