The '30 minutes' program hits the nail on the head with Sijena

The legal dispute over the mural paintings in the Sijena monastery has been a fixture in the media for many years. The debate has intensified since last May when the Supreme Court upheld the ruling that required the MNAC (National Art Museum of Catalonia) to return the frescoes to their original location. The controversy has become politically charged, and the noise has drowned out the nuances. On Sunday, the 30 minutes TV3 delved into the dispute between the governments of Aragon and Catalonia with an excellent journalistic report, both in content and style, which explored the case in depth and provided a better perspective. Sijena, condemned paintings It allowed viewers to understand the key aspects of the conflict and its details. It featured leading experts from both sides, and viewers could evaluate the arguments without intermediaries or biased interpretations. Art experts added essential considerations that justify the complexity of this case. The report was very clear and revealing from a historical perspective, supported by images and documents that refuted theories and conspiracies about looting and theft. It was also very honest in presenting the verified arguments of heritage conservation specialists.

There is a very powerful television segment, just two minutes long (between minutes 19 and 21 of the broadcast, if you retrieve it from the 3Cat platform), in which the 30 minutes It hits the nail on the head regarding an aspect that has gone largely unnoticed in the public debate. Jorge Español, lawyer for the Vilanova de Sijena Town Council, points out that the Generalitat (Catalan government) has never filed any appeal for protection with the Constitutional Court after the guilty verdict: "Well, that means they have no complaints." Then, Xavier Muñoz, the Generalitat's lawyer, criticizes precisely that: that the Generalitat's legal services and the MNAC (National Art Museum of Catalonia) didn't want to pursue it: "We would have had a second chance. This is the way forward; I don't see any other." Professor Alberto Velasco of the University of Lleida vehemently confirms this: "You can't rule out any legal avenue! This is already a political stance! And then, with President Isla saying privately that we can't anger the people of Aragon over the Sijena issue because we need their support for the special funding..." 30 minutes The article then quotes the reaction of the Catalan Minister of Culture, Sònia Hernández, on the matter: "Of course, there has been no negotiation to exchange Sijena for anything. All that has been discussed has been technical matters." The report, without fanfare, provides a perfect snapshot and exposes the Catalan government and the mystery of its refusal to appeal to the Constitutional Court against the ruling that mandates the return of the mural paintings. This connects to the end of the report, which warns that this will set a precedent: Catalonia has failed to protect itself against future heritage claims, which even Sijena's own lawyer admits will occur. Journalistically courageous and impeccable. And very enlightening.