From order to order and I shoot because it’s my turn. This is the vital loop that the daily work of the Executive has become. Through “blackmail” works to please the demands of its so-called Government “partners” and all with a sole objective: to carry out their Budgets. Because that is the ultimate justification. And in the middle of this coming and going of requests are the State Security Forces and Bodies, used as bargaining chip in many negotiations.
At this point the announced repeal of the Citizen Security Law agreed between the Government of Pedro Sánchez and EH Bildu. It must be remembered that this initiative, baptized by the PP as the “Otegi law”, already managed to pass its first parliamentary filter on October 29, after obtaining the support of 176 deputies (absolute majority). Specifically, those who promoted the reform (PSOE, Sumar, Bildu and PNV), in addition to Podemos, Junts, Esquerra and BNG.
Needless to say that PP and Vox, together with the UPN parliamentarian, voted againsta (170 deputies). Both formations presented separate amendments to the entirewhich will be debated this Thursday in the Congress of Deputies. Alberto Núñez Feijóo’s party defends the literality of the 2015 law but introduces some changes, such as considering tributes to perpetrators of terrorist crimes a very serious violation and punishing the authorities and city officials who authorize or facilitate them.
It also proposes that it be considered very serious infraction the occupation of real estate or the permanence in them against the will of their owner; as well as carrying, displaying or using prohibited weapons, such as knives, or using them in a negligent or intimidating manner.
From Vox, they propose changes to provide coverage for the expulsion of foreigners in a situation of administrative irregularity. In this sense, they also propose reinforce security on the borders of Ceuta and Melilla. They also advocate toughen the sanctioning regime for the illegal occupation of real estate or the dissemination of images of agents, to whom it wants to guarantee the establishment of a minimum safety distance to allow them to act “proactively” in the use of force in the event of an “attack.”
More attacks on police officers
The various police unions and Civil Guard associations have stressed that this repeal occurs at a very negative time, with “demoralized and weakened troopsin a scenario of aggravated violence and with a fragrant loss of the principle of authority“. A situation that, they point out, “leads to a increase in attacks on police officers already a dangerous judicialization of the work of agents with a complete lack of support by the Government of Spain”.
On the other hand, they criticize the repeal of this law while the historical demands of the police and civil guards are turned away in salary matters, the equalization with the regional police, retirements and allowances; the working day or the right to strike among others. In his opinion, the modifications that are intended to be made to the Citizen Security Law “will directly harm police effectiveness, with the consequent lack of protection for society.”
And they add that the proposed reforms “go in the opposite direction to the needs of the State Security Forces and Bodies to face with guarantees the new challenges we face: high intensity crime, violent youth gangs, international mafias or technological crime “. For this reason, the Platform No to Citizen Insecuritymade up of more than 30 unions and associations from all police forces in Spain, will gather today in front of the Congress of Deputiesto show their discomfort and rejection.
The controversial points of the “gag law”
The Citizen Security Law was on the verge of being repealed in the last legislature, but there were four points that generated a clash between PSOE and PNV with ERC and Bildu and the initiative was defeated. In this legislature, the Government seems to have given in to the requests of the pro-independence left, who aspired to change the two sections of article 37 because they consider that most of the sanctions imposed with this law slip through there.
Specifically, the changes that are incorporated affect section 4 of article 37, relating to lack of respect, since now it will only be considered an infraction when there are “relevant expressions, without the mere disagreement with a legitimate mandate or the fundamental exercise of freedom of expression”; and, to section 20 of article 37, which makes minor infraction “manifest and clear disobedience to authority or its agents”. Additionally, an additional provision is created for remove rubber balls; and formulas will be sought to end the hot returns.
And although ERC, PNV and BNG joined the text agreed between PSOE, Sumar and EH Bildu, other parties such as the aforementioned PP and Vox, or Junts and Podemos announced that they would present amendments during its processing.