The Diplomat
The Venice Commission warns in its preliminary report on the Amnesty Law being prepared by the Government that the text “should not be designed to cover specific individuals”, although it considers that it does not affect the separation of powers.
The preliminary report, prepared after his visit to Spain by the advisory body of the Council of Europe on the matter, will be debated on the 15th and 16th, and it is expected that there will be discussion and possible changes via amendments. Therefore, the final document will have to be approved in plenary.
Among other things, the report points out that the “lack of clarity and determination entails the risk of a very high number of cases and controversies arising” and of “moving conflicts from the political to the judicial level”, which “would not be coherent.” with the purpose for which it is being promoted.
In any case, the Government has received this preliminary text with satisfaction and the Minister of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Cortes, Félix Bolaños, celebrated the decision, emphasizing that “amnesty is a tool for reconciliation.” “And it also meets international standards. It is impeccable and positive,” he wrote on social networks.
The Venice Commission began the study of the Amnesty Law agreed upon by the PSOE and the pro-independence groups after a request made by the Senate, at the request of the PP.
In fact, a delegation from the Venice Commission visited Spain on February 8 and 9 to meet with parliamentary groups from the Congress and Senate, the Government, constitutional experts and judicial associations, among others, to gather information about the initiative.
During this visit, the members of the commission focused on the procedures of the bill, both in Congress and the Senate, but they did not assess its content, nor did they ask for details regarding terrorism crimes. In fact, one of its members made it clear to the deputies that their role is not to assess the suitability of the future law but only to analyze whether the appropriate technical procedures have been followed during its processing.
