THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT WILL ASK FOR EXPLANATIONS FROM THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE AMNESTY LAW

The European Parliament decided on January 22nd to ask the Spanish Government for explanations for the amnesty law. It was in the Committee on Petitions, chaired by the vice-president of the European People’s Party group, Dolors Montserrat, where eight petitions from citizens denouncing before the European Parliament that the amnesty is an attack on the rule of law in Spain and the EU were debated.

On behalf of the EPP, the MEP Javier Zarzalejos intervened, who reproached the Socialists for defending the fact that amnesty has been used in other EU countries. Zarzalejos recalled that “Sánchez’s amnesty is the only one that has been given in exchange for 7 votes for an investiture”.

In addition, he stressed that “it is the only amnesty that cancels responsibility for crimes against the rule of law and crimes of corruption and terrorism, areas in which the EU is focusing its greatest efforts while in Spain they will go unpunished”.

The MEP also pointed out the seriousness of the fact that this amnesty law will “cancel the judicial investigation into Russian interference in Spanish democracy linked to the independence process, an interference that the European Parliament has given as accredited”.

Finally, he wanted to make it clear that this amnesty law does not close any conflict, since “the beneficiaries have not shown repentance nor have they renounced the unilateral way, but have assured that they will do it again”.

For her part, Rosa Estaràs, MEP, denounced that “the amnesty violates all the principles of democracy and is contrary to the Union’s Charter of Fundamental Rights and, therefore, the intervention of the European Union is absolutely necessary to defend our values of democracy, equality, justice and the rule of law. The future of Europe is at stake.

He regretted that the amnesty, processed urgently and without the reports of the advisory bodies, will erase as many crimes as the fugitive from justice Carles Puigdemont asks for. “You cannot trade with the rule of law and put it at the service of personal interest”.

The Petitions Committee decided to keep the petition open and send it to the Civil Liberties Committee and the Economic Affairs Committee for study. In addition, it will ask the Government of Pedro Sanchez to report on the legislative process to which the amnesty law is now being submitted.

The Commission is following it closely and will determine whether it complies with the EU.

In its turn to speak, the European Commission assured that it takes this issue very seriously and is following it closely from the beginning, following the legislative process. They will determine whether the law complies with EU law and its fundamental values, in addition to the provisions on terrorism, corruption and protection of EU financial rights.