Little more than a month after throwing the dishes at each other's heads, the PSOE and Junts aim for a prompt resolution of their disagreement. On January 30, the posconvergents rejected the Amnesty law in the Congress of Deputies. The socialists, and with them ERC and the rest of the allies, were outraged. In his opinion, the delay did not favor the interests of all people susceptible to criminal oblivion. Today, however, the PSOE and JxCat have regained harmony to the point that the former are still waiting for the final validation of the formation led by Carles Puigdemont of a proposal worked on jointly.
For now, the issue publicly seems to be on track. Former president Carles Puigdemont spoke at an event of the Consell de la República in the south of France in which reproaches for a possible disagreement over the amnesty were conspicuous by his absence. What's more, Puigdemont spoke of leaving behind "the slab of repression and exile" and of a "new stage."
They wait in Esquerra. They know the terms that are being modified and ensure that some of their amendments will be part of the agreement. Even so, the text is not to your liking. However, they see the pact as close, as suggested by the statements that have been made by everyone in recent days. So much so that yesterday Oriol Junqueras wanted to push Junts to decide immediately. He demanded “responsibility” from the post-convergents, but not before hurrying them up: “We feel with the strength and duty to remind everyone that beyond the short-term tactics there are very noble objectives and aspirations that this country deserves to be fulfilled.” "concrete."
There are more signs pointing in the direction of a pact. Jaume Asens, who is running as a candidate for Sumar in the European elections, said yesterday that the “agreement is imminent.” Jordi Turull, general secretary of JxCat, immediately replied: “About Junts and the status of Junts' negotiations with other political forces, if there is any news, it will be reported from Junts.”
Be that as it may, on Thursday, March 7, the deadline for the Congressional Justice Commission to approve the text of the Amnesty law that must go to the plenary session the following week expires. A new extension was not requested yesterday. It was the last day to do it. A fact that can be considered as another clear signal, which adds to another indication, that of Minister Félix Bolaños, who was not seen yesterday at the summit of European socialists in Rome.
Everything indicates that in the midst of the media noise of the Koldo case and the order of the Supreme Court that opened the case to investigate Carles Puigdemont and the ERC deputy Ruben Wagensberg for the crime of terrorism, for the 2019 Democratic Tsunami protests, PSOE and Together they have taken the opportunity to negotiate discreetly and finalize the pact. In any case, what they agree on must also have the endorsement of the rest of the groups that support criminal oblivion, especially Esquerra.
The draft report of the Venice Commission – prepared in response to a Senate consultation – released late Friday endorses amnesties as instruments for the resolution of political conflicts. It has been a boost to the claims of the PSOE and the independentists to move forward with the criminal oblivion in the face of the offensive of the PP, which led the initiative by calling for said organization to visit Spain in February.
JxCat also believes that the previous study carried out by the Venice Commission supports its thesis that terrorism can be included in the Amnesty law, a fact that would circumvent the judicial actions that try to prosecute Carles Puigdemont and other leaders, such as Marta Rovira, for that crime. Likewise, the post-convergents point out that the document justifies their vote against the drafting of criminal oblivion a month ago.
ERC also believes that the Venice Commission agrees with it. “It strictly coincides with everything that we have defended for so long.”
No one is aware that the approval of the Amnesty law is a fundamental piece for the legislature to move forward, a safe conduct to change the screen and delve into other issues such as the general budgets of the State and other laws that the coalition Executive has on the table of the Council of Ministers and wants to promote. Without criminal oblivion, Moncloa cannot count on the support of Junts and ERC, which have repeated ad nauseam that if the commitments made are not met, “the legislature will not advance” and they will not give their support to the Government.
Approving the law also means removing the focus of the Koldo case, which is wearing down the socialists in a special way. The amnesty, as seen in the Galicia elections in February, not so much. The left bloc, which supports penal oblivion, maintained its support despite the decline of the Galician socialists.
