Juntos backtracks and withdraws the vote of confidence in Pedro Sánchez
Turull clings to the international mediator's statements to withdraw the non-legislative proposal
BarcelonaJunts backtracks, withdrawing the request for a vote of confidence in the Spanish president, Pedro Sánchez. "Despite noting that there is no confidence in the PSOE, [the executive] has decided to respond to the mediator's request and make a final effort to avoid a breakup," said this afternoon the secretary general of Junts, Jordi Turull, at a press conference. Thus, the Junts group in Congress will withdraw the non-law proposal "to give more time to comply with the agreements" that the socialists have not complied with, as he explained, adhering to the "extension" requested by the international mediator of the negotiation space in Switzerland, the diplomat from El Salvador Francisco Galindo. The decision, adopted unanimously, was taken at the national executive, held just the day before the debate scheduled in Congress.
The councillors have decided to withdraw this uncomfortable debate for the socialists, clinging only to the statement issued on Sunday by the international mediator, but without having managed to resolve the problems that have been dragging on with the PSOE for months. "We are very grateful for the efforts that the mediator is putting in, the ambassador deserves the utmost respect [...]. He asks us to avoid a break-up and give them more time to become effective, we owe him the trust that we do not have in the PSOE," Turull explained. Carles Puigdemont's party has opted to give time to the conversations and has not even set a deadline to reach an agreement. On what? On the table, for now, is the transfer of immigration powers to the Generalitat.
The Spanish government has not been slow to react with joy. "It is good news that he has withdrawn. I have not heard Junts, but I think it shows that this government is in dialogue to the point of exhaustion. I think that is a very important characteristic in these times," said the First Vice President and Minister of Finance, María Jesús Montero. The leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has expressed the opposite opinion: "The show continues and this theatrics between Junts and the government are costing the Spanish people a lot of money," he said - they report. Ot Serra and Andrea Zamorano.
No deadline
"After a while, seeing how things are, it will be he himself [the mediator] who will make a statement," Turull said about the schedule to follow from now on. A new meeting of the table is scheduled for March in Switzerland. "If the mediator reaches a conclusion, in the time he asks for we will make a decision, which will not be to go around making a fuss or paying homage to the fish on the horn, it will be a very clear decision," the general secretary of the council finished.
He also sent a warning to the PSOE that Junts is not going "on the sidelines" and that the proposal for a vote of confidence can return to the political board later, since they will always be "on time" to raise it. "If the PSOE believes that after today's decision it can do whatever it wants, it will be very upset," he added. According to Turull's account, no one asked the mediator to make a statement: "The mediator told us that he would make a statement, he spoke with both parties and made the statement." From Galindo's statement he has quoted some fragments – such as "some of the agreed points have not materialized" – to validate Junts' disagreement with the progress of the negotiations.
The turn
The international mediator emphasizes in the statement "A break in the space would mean a setback that would be difficult to overcome." "It would slow down progress that my role as verifier prevents me from revealing, but not from knowing," he added, after the twelfth meeting of the negotiating space was held on Friday. The diplomat had only spoken publicly on the day of the start of the negotiations. In addition, this Monday the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, announced an agreement, which was read with the intention of paving the way for the withdrawal of the question of confidence: The Spanish executive will adhere to a European protocol that allows Spanish courts to request the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) advisory opinions on the interpretation of laws –which has been "the result of an agreement reached at the proposal of Junts", according to the minister–. "Today, by chance, it has been announced that it is being signed", Turull pointed out, adding that there are many agreements that may be announced soon.
The question of confidence has been an element of conflict with the socialists since Puigdemont starred in it a press conference in Brussels in early December in which he said that things were not going well. He then announced a breakdown of sectoral negotiations, which has never materialised, and also the request to Sánchez to submit to a vote of confidence. With the talks to unblock the immigration transfer stuck – which were to be concluded on New Year's Eve – it was not until Sánchez's social decree faltered that the scenario changed.
