The Junta of Castile and León has begun sending to audiovisual production companies requirements for them to sign a declaration against the "ideological indoctrination" in the subsidized works. Cadena SER Castilla y León has reported that the communications were directed to companies that requested aid for the production of short films.
According to what was published by the broadcaster, production companies that have received the requirement have five business days, counted from the day after they receive it, to submit the signed document. In it, they commit that, in the event they obtain the subsidy, they will respect the principles of objectivity, institutional neutrality, pluralism, and service to the general interest, and that they will not carry out actions that involve ideological indoctrination, partisan propaganda, or express support for specific political options.
The orders published in the Official Gazette of Castile and León (BOCYL) on October 9 included this condition in two lines of grants: one aimed at the production of short films and another aimed at the pre-production, production, and distribution of feature films, documentaries, fiction films, and pilot projects for animated or television series.
In both calls, the Junta states that public funds may not be used for activities that involve "ideological indoctrination, partisan propaganda, or express support for specific political options". The inclusion of this clause expands the scope of the conditions that appeared in previous calls, which contemplated the exclusion of works with political propaganda but did not expressly include a reference to ideological indoctrination.
The Ministry of Culture has questioned the calls
The Ministry of Culture submitted on October 23 a formal request to the Junta regarding the two subsidy orders. The department headed by Ernest Urtasun considers that the wording of the rules may affect freedom of creation and expression and generate risks of censorship or arbitrariness in the granting of the aid.
The request is a step prior to a possible challenge through the administrative-contentious route. The Ministry questions that the criteria incorporated by the regional Administration could condition the assessment of the subsidized works.