Sao Tome, Oct. 30, 2025 (Lusa) - Sao Tome's National Assembly has cancelled a plenary session scheduled for Friday due to the indefinite strike by journalists and state media technicians that began on Wednesday, the parliament announced.
"The conference of the speakers of parliamentary groups met (...), under the guidance of the president of the National Assembly, Celmira Sacramento, and decided to cancel the plenary meeting that was scheduled for tomorrow, 31 October. This decision is based on the state media strike," reads a note posted on Facebook.
The cancelled plenary session was scheduled to analyse and approve six agenda items, including a draft resolution authorising President Carlos Vila Nova to leave the country between 9 and 12 November to take part in the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of Angola's independence.
There was also a resolution on authorising a deputy from the Independent Democratic Action (ADI) to be heard by the Public Prosecutor's Office as a witness; a general discussion and vote on the bill on the protection and welfare of domestic animals in Sao Tome and Principe; the law on public contracts; the law on fixed holidays, movable holidays and important dates; as well as an amendment to the law on fisheries and aquaculture.
Sources from the journalists' union told Lusa that they met today with Prime Minister Américo Ramos, who is directly responsible for the state media, followed by a meeting of the workers' assembly, which issued some recommendations that are being analysed with the government, with a view to reaching a new understanding to suspend the strike.
On Wednesday, Fernanda Costa Alegre, spokesperson for the Santomense Journalists' Union (SJS), said that the strike is motivated by the government's failure to fulfil the demands presented in a list of demands submitted in September, but which, despite the signing of a memorandum of understanding, has not been fully complied with.
On Tuesday, the union members met with officials from the prime minister's office, Américo Ramos. Still, no new understanding was reached, so they began the strike that paralysed the services of Televisão Santomense (TVS), Rádio Nacional and the STP-Press news agency.
"This time what we want is for the situation of the media, of the professionals, to be resolved," emphasised Fernanda Costa Alegre.
"We're not enemies of the government, we're here to work, to do our best, but for that to happen, there also needs to be some sensitivity on the part of the government," she added.
According to the trade unionist, the central issue motivating the strike is the alleged lack of transparency in the management of the audiovisual tax paid by citizens through the invoices charged by the Water and Electricity Company (EMAE).
"What we want is for there to be a decree saying that the audiovisual tax belongs to the media, and that it is managed by the media organisations, which has not happened [...]. What we demand is transparency," emphasised Fernanda Costa Alegre, adding that there have been differences of information between EMAE and the government, which manages the account where the money is deposited.
JYAF/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
