PSOE and Podemos knock down the reform of the CNI law of the PVN because the Government "works" in another

The reform of the CNI law will, for now, have to wait.

Thomas Osborne
Thomas Osborne
13 December 2022 Tuesday 11:32
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PSOE and Podemos knock down the reform of the CNI law of the PVN because the Government "works" in another

The reform of the CNI law will, for now, have to wait. Congress has knocked down the bill promoted by the PNV to modify the norm that regulates the National Intelligence Center and that of its judicial control, after PSOE and Unidas Podemos have joined forces. For the majority party in the Executive, such a far-reaching reform has to be promoted from the Government: "We are working on it."

Early in the afternoon, the Plenary Session of Congress began with the debate on the consideration of the PNV bill, promoted to reform both the law that regulates the CNI and that of its judicial control, both twenty years old. old. The text of the Basque nationalists is articulated around three fundamental axes: the appointment of the director of the house of spies would correspond to the President of the Government -and not to the head of Defense-, the prior authorizations for interventions would be signed unanimously by three Supreme Court magistrates –and not by one, as currently- and the means –such as Pegasus- to carry out the intrusions should be reported.

Aitor Esteban defended his group's proposal in response to a regulation that he called "obsolete". The spokesman reminded the Chamber that, after the Pegasus scandal broke out, the Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, promised before the Chamber to renew the law that regulates the CNI. Since that plenary session, little has been known about Moncloa's progress in this regard. "We have no news," complained Esteban, who offered the Socialists his proposal to work on it in the parliamentary process.

The jug of cold water came from the socialist bench. Deputy Zaida Cantera assured that the Government "is working" on the reform of the law that regulates the CNI, as well as on the Law on Official Secrets, as announced by Sánchez. Cantera defended that a reform of this depth must emanate from the executive branch in order to have all the reports from the advisory bodies. “Greater guarantees of technical rigor”, she clarified. The Socialists did not establish their position, leaving their vote up in the air after a confusing speech by Cantera: although he assured that the initiative must be carried out by the Government, he also listed "inconsistencies" in the PNV text that could be corrected during its parliamentary process. Finally, the bill was rejected by a very large majority: 300 noes, compared to 37 yeses and one abstention.

ERC, PDeCat and EH Bildu were in favor of the jetzales reform. In their speeches they alluded to the scandals in which the CNI has been involved: from the activities of King Emeritus to the espionage of pro-independence leaders. "Love your country more," the ERC deputy, Gabriel Rufián, asked the parliamentarians. For his part, Sergi Miquel i Valentí (PDeCAT) assured that the text of the Basque nationalists gives more “guarantees” to the citizens.

And if that was the position of the usual partners of the Government in Congress, the opposition -Partido Popular, Vox and Ciudadanos- attacked in unison against the proposal that they said was an attack on Spain and democracy. "One more step to continue attacking State institutions" of those who "have already attacked the nation," they reproached Alberto Núñez Feijóo's party. "Do you want three judges? One from the PP, one from the PSOE and one from Podemos?" Asked the spokesman for the Santiago Abascal formation. "It is a smear campaign against the CNI so that Spain is a weak country," they defended from the bench led by Inés Arrimadas.