FJI dismisses as "embarrassing" the "distribution of cards" to renew the CGPJ: "It is being auctioned"

Ask judges who are "in a position to do so" not to be "accomplices"

MADRID, 27 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Independent Judicial Forum (FJI) has described the "distribution of cards" to agree on the renewal of the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ) as an "embarrassing spectacle", directly warning that "it is being auctioned", while insisting that it is necessary to reform the system for electing the members before agreeing on the new ones.

"These are sad days in which we have to attend the embarrassing spectacle, described by the media, of the distribution of CGPJ cards. We watch with indignation how names of judges come to the fore, which the media shamelessly link with political parties, while favorite of one or the other party to occupy the desired seat in the CGPJ", said the judicial association in a statement released this Thursday.

The FJI has denounced that, "according to what is published, everything fits in the long-awaited pact, even changing vowels for support for controversial laws." "What value are we giving to the laws, which are the essence of our democracy? It doesn't matter if the law is objectively good or bad, the important thing is that it is valid as a bargaining chip," he lamented.

However, he has warned that "the CGPJ is being auctioned off, incidentally the TC (Constitutional Court) is being auctioned off and ultimately Justice is being auctioned off and, with it, democracy and the rule of law, all in favor of the interests of the political parties". Likewise, he has warned that "when the CGPJ is renewed, the auction of discretionary appointments will come."

FJI has taken the opportunity to draw attention to the fact that "at the same time we see how the number of judges is being reduced unceremoniously". "Justice is left without means, our occupational health suffers and the courts are filled with requests for advance notices in demand of a protection that we would like to be able to offer", she has described.

In line, he has reproached that "none of that matters" to the political parties, "only the CGPJ, its chairs and the positions that depend on it", for which he has pointed to the judges as "the last dam for it to survive separation of powers and democracy.

For this reason, he has urged the members of the judicial career not to be "collaborators with a system that, 'de facto', and with the famous STC 108/86 in hand, is unconstitutional."

"We insist again: until the CGPJ election system is changed, we ask you not to be complicit in it, that those of you who are in a position to do so stand up," he exhorted.

It should be remembered that, of the main judicial associations, FJI is the only one that advocates reforming the election system for CGPJ members before renewing it. The Professional Association of the Judiciary (APM) --the majority-- and the Francisco de Vitoria Judicial Association (AJFV) advocate renewing now and reforming later, while Judges and Judges for Democracy (JJpD) urges to renew to open later the debate on the model.