Brussels warns that it will be attentive to the impact of the amnesty on embezzlement

The European Commission has warned this Monday that it will be attentive to the impact of the amnesty law that Junts demands to support the investiture of the acting President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, especially with regard to crimes of embezzlement that affect European funds.

This was stated by the Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, in an intervention in the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) of the European Parliament in response to a question from PP MEP Javier Zarzalejos, who warned the commissioner that This law would leave judicial sentences and ongoing procedures for "very serious" crimes such as embezzlement or disobedience "deprived of content."

"Rest assured that we will be attentive to the way in which the dossier evolves, especially when there are links to the point you mention of problems of embezzlement or irregular appropriation of public funds," the commissioner responded.

Reynders wanted to make it clear that at the moment he cannot make a precise evaluation of the amnesty law because there is no formal document on the table that he can examine.

"For now I read a lot of things, like on other issues, but I don't have texts at my disposal so I can hardly comment on any text," said Reynders, referring to the fact that Brussels does not formally take sides on new national legislation as long as there are no proposals. firm.

Until now, the Community Executive had limited itself to saying that it could not make judgments about a rule whose details it does not know and that, in any case, they are national issues and that it is up to Spain to decide how to act, as long as it is within the framework constitutional.

Later, when asked about the same matter by Ciudadanos MEP Maite Pagazaurtundúa, Reynders said he was aware of the reactions and doubts in Spain regarding the negotiations but insisted that the Commission services "need a draft text to evaluate" its content and also be able to analyze whether it conflicts with community powers, for example the misappropriation of European funds.

The commissioner has also recalled that his services have "under examination" the reform of the Penal Code in Spain to evaluate whether the changes that affect the crime of embezzlement do not deviate from the rules of the European Union, although he has not given more details on how This evaluation that was already announced in January of this year is advancing.

Another of the issues that Reynders has referred to at the request of Zarzalejos has been the blockage of the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ), although in this case Reynders has limited himself to insisting on the need to urgently renew the governing body of judges and immediately begin a reform of the system of electing members.

Thus, Reynders has regretted the situation of "blockade" observed in the CGPJ since 2018, which Brussels denounces every year in its report on the rule of law, but has said he is aware of the current situation in Spain and that first it is necessary that a Government be formed and that "the necessary majority be formed" to unblock the situation.