Senate Delays Debate on Controversial Criminal Records Exchange Law Impacting ETA Prisoners
On Tuesday, the full Senate agreed to delay the discussion on a contentious draft law concerning the exchange of criminal records, which could facilitate the early release of 44 prisoners associated with the Basque terrorist group ETA. This decision was made at the request of the Popular Party (PP) and will lead to a special voting session before next Monday.
The Senate's decision, which passed with 143 votes in favor, 100 against, and one abstention, means the law will be removed from the agenda. Notably, this legislation had previously been unanimously approved by Congress without amendments from any political group. The issue arose when the ruling Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) raised concerns regarding the counting of electronic votes. Senate President Pedro Rollán clarified that such votes were not mandatory for this instance, emphasizing that only those physically present were acknowledged.
The PP spokesperson, Alicia García, initiated the session by calling for a postponement of both the debate and vote on the draft law. She highlighted that despite earlier parliamentary support, the bill's lack of amendments in the Senate could lead to its enactment even with a majority opposing it. García specifically referred to Article 714 of the regulations, advocating for the withdrawal of the proposed legislation, which includes provisions for considerable penal benefits for ETA members currently serving time for their actions.
García articulated the party's stance is that these amendments, introduced during the Congressional process, effectively serve to ease the sentences of those convicted of serious crimes associated with terrorism—a notion they find 'unacceptable' and 'extremely grave.' She further detailed their efforts to eliminate certain articles of the law affecting sentence reductions for some ETA prisoners but reported failing to gain the necessary support from other parliamentary groups despite attempts to amend it.
The ERC party spokesperson Sara Bailac also commented on the need to reconvene the Board of Spokespersons, yet this call was overshadowed by Rollán’s determination that the PP's motion for a vote was to be prioritized. He reiterated that the timeline imposed by the Senate allows until Monday, the 14th, for the Board to schedule an extraordinary session to address this law.
The popular party essentially buys time with this maneuver, awaiting the government’s decision on whether to maintain or retract the executed draft law, especially pressured by the demands from both the PP and Vox to prevent any progression of said reform.
As the debate looms, the Association of Victims of Terrorism (AVT) has sounded warnings regarding the implications of the law, emphasizing that its passage would lead to the imminent release of seven ETA prisoners within a few months. The shift in regulation, which now permits these prisoners to recount time served abroad, primarily in France, is a critical adjustment that has raised further alarm among victims' advocates and opposition parties.
In summary, the pending legislation on criminal records has ignited a crucial debate within the Spanish parliament, further reflecting the ongoing complexities surrounding ETA's legacy, victims' rights, and the broader implications of such legal reform.
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