August 2012.- The ADDA charter states that it will be impartial, nonpartisan and independent in its management. ADDA has remained consistent to these principles in its 37 years of existence, supporting and working in the area of any and all policy actions that promote respect and animal welfare in accordance with its aims.

The announcement that Spanish TV, after 6 years, plans to resume the broadcasting of bullfights, is consistent with the strategy drawn up by the conservative Popular Party, which has the currently the majority in Parliament. The party insists on a Spain which is “taurinizar" (that Spain should be a bullfighting country) as demonstrated by the announcement of the Minister for Culture, José Ignacio Wert, and supported by the president of the Congress of Deputies, Jesús Posada.

In February 2012, the Board of Directors of RTVE anticipated the intentions of the party to remove any obstacles that would prevent bullfights transmissions during children’s viewing times or at any other time. Moreover, according to official surveys, bullfights are the transmissions least viewed by Spanish audience. The same surveys show that news programs are the most viewed and so TVE plans to make reference to bullfighting events in news bulletins in an attempt to give them a boost. Then, just to ensure that this policy meets no opposition within the TVE board it has undergone a purge of many of the most prominent and outstanding professionals who have worked for many years for TVE.

ACTIONS

We recommend to parents that want to protect their children, to anyone else sensitive to animal welfare and respect towards animals and all those who abhor these cruel spectacles, to mobilize and send their protest to RTVE, by mail, by post or by any other means. We also invite you to boycott the public TV news bulletins on TV and Radio. Bear in mind that political parties are given their power and their mandate to act by the votes of citizens. Evidence of an overwhelming rejection must force them to change their policy.