Another tense week ended, with the beginning of the processing of the amnesty law and the agreement between the socialists and Bildu to snatch the mayor's office of Pamplona from UPN. Feijóo was in Pamplona yesterday, again on the street, to protest this pact, and Cuca Gamarra (Logroño 1974) received La Vanguardia last Thursday to explain the PP's position.
What is the PP going to do from now on?
The PP is going to be the hope that Spain needs and deserves. The PP is going to do everything in its power to make this alternative materialize. We are going to use all the instruments in our power to stop it, in the political, legal and citizen fields.
We have seen the PP on the street, what will it do from a political and legal point of view?
It has become clear that there is a majority of citizens who do not agree with Pedro Sánchez's actions, and I believe that the President of the Government has undervalued Spanish society. Politically we will work not only internally but from European politics, because when the drift that is taken affects the independence of the judiciary and the separation of powers, we are talking about the erosion of the rule of law, and that is controlled by Europe, which is a guarantee so that anything that affects the independence of the judiciary, the separation of powers, and everything that affects the rule of law cannot be deteriorated.
Does the PP have its hopes in Europe to stop the amnesty law?
First in Spain and the Spanish, but Europe also has instruments and it has become clear that Europe is concerned about the drift that is occurring in Spain at the hands of Pedro Sánchez, and when Europe is concerned about something, it acts to stop it.
Does the amnesty make the European elections more important?
Undoubtedly. The amnesty makes us Spaniards more aware of the importance of European elections and strong and solid European institutions. Yes, the European elections have become key to the future of our country, so that Europe guarantees that internally no steps can be taken backwards in the rule of law.
They talk about preventing the amnesty from coming into force, how?
If there is any possibility that it does not come into force, and it is in the hands of the PP, we will use it, so that the Spanish people have no doubt. We are not going to collaborate in Pedro Sánchez granting impunity to a political caste because he needs seven votes to remain president of the Government.
Will there be a meeting between Pedro Sánchez and Núñez Feijóo?
Sánchez makes it more and more difficult, with the things he does, but within the framework of the relationship with the presidency of the Government, which is beyond whoever occupies it, there may be a meeting. The only thing Pedro Sánchez is interested in is a photo to whitewash the type of relationships he maintains with other political leaders, and if anyone believes that we are going to collaborate on that, they are wrong. We are concerned about why, that is why we ask to know the agenda, and to make contributions.”
The PP talks about the rule of law but maintains its refusal to renew the General Council of the Judiciary. Isn't that a contradiction?
No, because we are defending the rule of law. We have no problem renewing the Council, but that renewal has to advance more rule of law. This is not a whim, it is what Europe demands, that the judges of the governing body of judges be elected by the judges. The PP does not refuse the renewal, but we ask that it be linked to the reform of the election system, so that there is greater independence of the judiciary.
Could it be done in parallel, as was negotiated when negotiations broke down?
It could be one of the possibilities, but it would have to contemplate a change in the system so that Spain advances with greater independence from the judiciary.
Has Abascal become a headache for the PP?
We have our autonomy and our political project, which has nothing to do with Vox or Santiago Abascal. We make our own decisions. We are not affected by what others do. The PP won the elections and we want to continue adding, growing, and make the constitutionalists who did not vote for the PP, but for other formations, convinced that what we are experiencing today was impossible to happen, find that there is a space that we can share in the future millions of Spaniards.
Polls say they will need Vox to govern, and he is their main critic.
Well, they have the wrong opponent, but the PP is not going to be distracted from the objective we have.
The PP congress of Catalonia is still pending. When?
The most important thing is not the congresses, but winning the elections, being an alternative and having a project so that Catalans identify more and more with the PP every day. With Núñez Feijóo, the PP has become the third force in Catalonia. Today, many constitutionalists who did not vote for us on July 23 feel orphaned, because they have been betrayed by the PSC. We want to unite constitutionalism in Catalonia and continue growing, resembling Catalan society.
Does the Catalan PP need a change of discourse or a change of leadership, or both?
The PP has grown and is a party with which many Catalans identify today. From serenity, from moderation, but from firmness in demanding the principles of constitutionalism. It is a task to continue working on, and in internal matters we must seek unity to continue advancing in this direction. The congress will be held throughout 2024.
Would you support Illa if she wins the elections?
The problem is that the PSC has abandoned constitutionalism, it has deceived many Catalans whom it said that it was going to act with their vote in a certain direction and in the end it has thrown itself into the hands of the independence movement.
Will you dispute your votes? What does the PP offer to Catalonia?
The PP will continue to be a reliable project, and everyone will know that voting for us is voting for the defense of constitutional values, the defense of there being no division between Catalans, that this is coexistence, good coexistence. We offer Catalonia stability, legal security and with all this, economic growth.
