The management of Vasp announced today that it is assessing the need for adjustments to the daily newspaper distribution in the districts of Beja, Évora, Portalegre, Castelo Branco, Guarda, Viseu, Vila Real, and Bragança.
The API has highlighted that “a few weeks ago, it had drawn the government’s and political parties’ attention to the seriousness of the situation.”
Vasp’s position, responsible for distributing newspapers across the country, stems from a “particularly demanding financial situation, resulting from the continuous decline in press sales and the significant increase in operational costs.”
According to the API, this “represents a development of great severity for the sector and the country.”
“The interruption of distribution in these eight districts compromises regular access to newspapers and magazines in vast areas of the national territory, directly affecting the exercise of a constitutionally enshrined right and challenging one of the essential pillars of democracy: citizens’ access to plural and quality information,” stated the association.
The Portuguese Press Association expresses “its deep concern about the impact of this measure and calls again for urgent actions to ensure the continuity of press distribution throughout the national territory.”
The API “remains committed to the unwavering defense of the press and the safeguarding of the essential conditions for its operation, reiterating its full availability to collaborate with public and private entities in building immediate and sustainable solutions.”
The Minister for the Presidency stated today that any public solution to help ensure the distribution of the press across the national territory will always involve “competitive mechanisms” and not issue checks to a specific company.
During a press conference at the end of the Council of Ministers meeting, Minister António Leitão Amaro was questioned about the financial issues faced by Vasp, on the day the company, which ensures the distribution of newspapers and magazines in the country, admitted the possibility of making adjustments in eight districts — Beja, Évora, Portalegre, Castelo Branco, Guarda, Viseu, Vila Real, and Bragança.
