A victory for Catalonia
Minutes after Congress finally approved the amnesty law, Oriol Junqueras appeared before the media to celebrate this ‘great milestone for Catalonia’ and also for the democrats as a whole. According to Junqueras, this rule should not be considered as an end point for the pro-independence process, but as a starting point to continue and call a new referendum. Gabriel Rufián has already pointed out that this referendum must be the next stage on the road to independence.
Benefits for little-known people
Junqueras has emphasized that the first beneficiaries of the amnesty law will be ‘little-known people’, who will have an easier time getting the law applied to them. However, he acknowledged that some courts could put obstacles in the way: ‘It is likely that they want to put a lot of sticks in the wheels, but we have assumed that’. His hope is that the law will soon be published in the BOE and that the judges will act fairly.
Reactions of the PP and stability of the government
Regarding the decision of the PP to submit appeals against the amnesty law, Junqueras has stated that it is not a surprise: ‘It is clear that there is a great coalition between PP, Vox and part of the judiciary that many years ago decided to convert -se in a third legislative chamber’. Regarding the stability of Pedro Sánchez’s government, Junqueras has emphasized that the commitment to democracy is what really ensures it. He recalled that ERC has defended the amnesty for years, when other political forces did not see it favorably: ‘We celebrate that there are many more who are joining today’.
Truce between ERC and Junts
Regarding the truce between ERC and Junts in the Congress tribune, Junqueras played down the importance of this gesture, stating that ‘expressing kind words is always good’. He thanked the work done by several members of his party and concluded that it is positive that more people join.