EPP local and regional leaders expressed their deep concerns on the political situation in Spain with respect to the violation of the rule of law during a debate with MEP Antonio López-Istúriz White.
In a statement Olgierd Geblewicz, President of the EPP-CoR Group said "This is not about Catalonia, or about party politics, this is about the rule of law, this is about safeguarding the fundamental principles of the EU, this is about democracy. As I assured our friend Alberto Núñez Feijóo, the leader of Partido Popular, the EPP will support the people of Spain in defending the rule of law."
President of Murcia region, Fernando López Miras said ''With the Amnesty Law, the Government of Spain breaks the rule of law and the separation of powers. In the face of this setback that deviates from the values of the European Union, it is essential to have the support of European regions and cities, and a clear statement in defence of freedom, equality and democracy in my country."
The EPP-CoR group joins the EPP Group in the European Parliament in calling on the European Commission to condemn the clear violation of the rule of law and the undermining of democracy as the principle of the separation of powers and to therefore examine the terms of the agreement between Spanish Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and the Catalan separatist party 'Junts' (NA).
EPP local and regional leaders reaffirm that this situation is not acceptable and cannot be considered business as usual. The EU cannot use two standards for any of its regions or member states and must ensure the same treatment for all member states. We cannot accept any compromise on EU's core values. In practice, the amnesty law is prepared by those receiving the amnesties and promotes a culture of impunity. The Spanish government has also opened the door for parliamentary interference in the judiciary system. Therefore, those actions must be assessed by independent international bodies, such as the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe.
In this regard, the EPP-CoR Group is calling for a debate during the next CoR plenary session to hold the Spanish government accountable for undermining the rule of law. For the EPP-CoR Group the principles of the rule of law are non-negotiable.