Controversy Surrounds Proposed Prison Reform for Former ETA Members in Spain
The Spanish center-right Popular Party (PP), currently holding a majority in the Senate, has postponed the critical approval of a bill that could potentially allow recognition of time served abroad for prisoners of the Basque terrorist group ETA. This legislation, if passed, may lead to the early release of some ETA members, a prospect that has ignited a political firestorm. The final vote is scheduled for Monday.
The bill, which had garnered unanimous approval from the Chamber on September 18, has recently faced pushback from the PP and the far-right Vox party, which now claims that the Socialist government's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez misled them about the implications of the legislation.
ETA, which operated from the 1960s until its disarmament in 2011, sought independence for the Basque Country through violent means. The group's legacy remains a contentious issue in modern Spain, where various former ETA members have integrated into political entities, while others continue to serve prison sentences. The ensuing parliamentary debate has been intense, with neither side emerging unscathed, although the right seems to have suffered more politically.
The reform is linked to the law governing the exchange of criminal records with other EU countries, a measure initially approved by the Spanish government in 2014 to prevent double jeopardy. Under then-Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's PP government, application of this law was restricted to sentences issued after August 15, 2010. This limitation effectively barred 69 ETA prisoners, who had already completed sentences in France, from benefiting from the revised regulations.
An amendment introduced by the left-wing party Sumar is crucial to this current legislative discussion, as it seeks to eliminate the 2010 time constraint established under Rajoy. According to government statistics, 144 former ETA members are currently incarcerated, and if the amendment is passed, it is estimated that 44 of them could be released earlier, with several potentially eligible for freedom in just a few months. Among those at risk of release are notorious figures like Xabier García Gaztelu, known as Txapote, and José Javier Arizcuren Ruiz, alias Kantauri.
The political landscape surrounding this reform is fraught with tension. Although the bill received cross-party support in the Chamber, it has since sparked significant controversy. The right-wing factions are now attempting to retract their previous support, arguing that the specific effects of the amendment were not clearly communicated. Notably, ETA wasn't explicitly mentioned during the parliamentary discussions; however, PP representatives acknowledged studying the proposal prior to the vote.
Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the Populars, has expressed regret over what he termed an 'unjustifiable mistake' made by his party. Following this, the opposition has urged the government to retract the bill, invoking Senate regulations that allow amendments if endorsed by all parliamentary groups. However, Sánchez's Socialists firmly rejected this plea, leading Feijóo to accuse them of prioritizing the interests of ETA prisoners over those of broader society.
In the midst of this political strife, right-leaning media outlets allege that Sánchez's government is attempting to appease EH Bildu, a Basque nationalist party that supports his coalition. In response to the unfolding crisis, El País, a leading Spanish newspaper, has criticized the questionable transparency with which the Socialist Party, Sumar, and Bildu are handling this challenging issue. The editorial underscores that while the PP has leveraged terrorism for political gain, the violent era associated with ETA should not be exploited to score political points in a mature democracy.
This upcoming vote will not only shape the future for imprisoned ETA members but will also serve as a litmus test for the political maneuvers of both the left and right in contemporary Spain. As opinions on ETA and its legacy remain polarized, the implications of this pending legislation could reverberate throughout the nation.
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