Pedro Sanchez never ceases to amaze. The leader of the Executive, after 72 hours of silence, has finally spoken about the reductions in sentences from which dozens of ETA members will benefit. And, twice, he has said: “There is no reduction of sentences.” Sánchez has reiterated that the rule that Congress voted almost unanimously in September and that contained two amendments by Sumar that opened the door to these reductions, is a transposition of a European directive. And that his coalition partner’s note only serves to “take into account the years that prisoners have already served in prisons abroad.” “Those who were sentenced to 30 years will serve 30 years. There is no reduction, ladies and gentlemen of the PP, and you know it. That is why you voted for this bill,” Sánchez resolved.
The President of the Government, in addition, denounced this Wednesday the misinformation that is spread about immigration a day after his government spokesperson, Pilar Alegría, twisted reality in Moncloa by settling that the Provincial Court of Madrid has almost exonerated Begoña Gómez from the judicial case for which she is being investigated. Although nothing could be further from the truth. According to the socialist leader, “there is an army of digital tabloids dedicated to creating a constant flow of lies.” But he seems to have no problem with his coreligionists lie at a press conference to defend his wife.
“They have achieved [los bulos] that citizens think that the immigrants who receive assistance are four times more than the real figure. The same goes for crime. Do they commit crimes? Yes. But if we analyze the data, taking into account age and income, the rate is the same as that of the Spanish. The reality is that foreigners are neither better nor worse. They are the same. We are aware of the problem of misinformation that is contaminating public debate“Sánchez snapped. The president is appearing in the Lower House at the request of the PP to be held accountable for his management of the migration crisis facing Spain.
The president entered the chamber accompanied by Minister Pilar Alegría; a clear gesture of support after his appearance this Tuesday in Moncloa, in which he lied following the arguments of the president’s hard core. The Government is losing the battle for the storyas evidenced by the devastating article by The Economist against his political management. And this is the only way to explain the braking actions that their spokespersons are making. The nerves are running high.
Sánchez has addressed his vision of immigration policy, although the PP, on the first occasion it has had, has attacked him for reducing the penalties for ETA members: “You have spoken about the dignity of migrants. I expressly ask you to withdraw the law that annuls more than 300 years in prison for those convicted of ETA terrorism; You have 5 days, until the 14th of this month, I beg you to take advantage of it and reconsider,” said Alberto Núñez Feijóo.
The socialist leader did not want to miss the opportunity to attack the opposition for its conception of immigration, which has already become a first-rate political weapon after climbing to first place on the podium of the concerns of the Spanish people, according to the latest CIS barometer. . In the September 2024 report, 30.4% of those surveyed indicated immigration as one of the country’s three main problemsa percentage that has increased considerably in recent months.
The President of the Government has swum in the sea of clichés to make a fiery defense of immigration: “Vox and the PP tell us that immigrants come to wander and hoard subsidies. But the truth is that they have an activity rate 4 points higher than nationals, they contribute 10% of Social Security income, and they use public services and social benefits 40% less than those born in Spain. They also tell us that immigrants are coming to take our jobs. But the reality is that the majority of them carry out invisible professions, with a high degree of precariousness. And, without them, sectors such as agriculture, construction or hospitality would collapse, since they account for between 25 and 50% of its workers. And they say immigrants endanger our loved ones. But half of the people who work taking care of our children, parents and grandparents are immigrants.”
Despite everything, the president, after calling Vox and PP xenophobic, has admitted that immigration generates “frictions.” That is why he has encouraged everyone to contribute to the integration of foreigners: “We cannot ignore the friction. We must help migrants integrate and dedicate resources to it. We must protect the laws, values and customs of Spanish society with the same conviction. They tell us that it is impossible to deploy an immigration policy that benefits foreigners and nationals but we are going to do it. In the coming weeks we will launch a national plan for integration and intercultural coexistence.”
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