The European People’s Party is hoping to debate the Spanish amnesty law, which was agreed upon between the socialist party of Pedro Sánchez and the separatists of Carles Puigdemont, during the Strasbourg plenary session of the Parliament next week.
El Debate reports that the centrist EPP planned to submit its request for the debate on Monday, November 13. Additionally, the European socialist party may likewise request a debate on the ‘rule of law’ in Hungary, which could serve as a distraction from the situation in Spain.
“We defend and will defend in all institutions, and through all legal and judicial instruments, the unity of Spain,” Dolores Montserrat, vice chair of the EPP said.
Next week’s plenary session provides an important stage for such a debate as both the Commission and the Council will be present, in addition to the 705 MEPs, including the man at the heart of the amnesty controversy, fugitive of Spanish law, MEP Carles Puigdemont.
At the same time, Spain’s acting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez currently holds the EU rotating presidency. Last week, Justice Commissioner Didier Reynder issued a public warning to Sánchez and his acting government, alerting that the agreement could violate the rule of law and asking for more details. Félix Bolaños, a spokesman for the Spanish government, only antagonized the commission further by quickly responding that there was nothing to present, despite the agreement containing four pages of details. In any case, he added, it would have the democratic approval of the Spanish parliament. Needless to say, Bolaños’ comments did not appease Didiers.
Sánchez could avoid an inevitably tense and likely even humiliating session by simply not attending the plenary, a play he uses in Spain where he often avoids presenting himself in parliament during hot debates.
“As the majority force in the European Parliament, we are going to give a voice to the Spaniards who ask us to defend their democracy,” Montserrat said.
Spaniards have indeed been raising their voices.
On Sunday, there was a large demonstration in Madrid against Sánchez’s planned amnesty and other concessions to separatists called by the Spanish branch of the EPP, the Partido Popular. Simultaneous Demonstrations took place in cities around Spain and even beyond, including Paris and Brussels, where the EPP demonstrated in Place de Luxembourg in front of Parliament “for the equality of all Spaniards.”
