2,500 judges denounce the government’s reforms to the EU

More than 2,500 Spanish judges of the 5,419 in Spain, have presented, through their associations, a complaint to the European Commission to act against the Government’s reforms regarding Justice in Spain.

The Professional Association of the Judiciary (APM), the association of judges and magistrates Francisco de Vitoria (AJFV) and the Independent Judicial Forum (FJI), which represent these more than 2,500 Spanish judges, have sent a letter to the vice president of the EU for Values ​​and Transparency, Vêra Jourová, and the European Commissioner, Didier Reynders, denouncing what they consider a “serious risk of violation” of the rule of law in our country due to the latest legislative reforms that, in their opinion, affect judicial independence.

They argue in their brief that the legislative reform on “the blackout and dispossession of the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ)” -due to the reform that prevents appointments with the body in office- and that its “colonization by political parties” compromises the appointments of senior judicial positions, as well as all governmental activity on judges (disciplinary, promotion, training), “and with it their independence and impartiality”.

They also denounce the next step, which has already been announced, and which will consist of replacing the reinforced majority of 3/5 of the members of the Chambers that is required to elect the members of the CGPJ by an absolute majority, which would be achieved with the parties that support the Government, “some of which openly encourage not respecting the Constitution. It is a law that submits the Judiciary to the political parties that dominate at any given time, which is the beginning of the path towards totalitarianism, the undermining of human rights and corruption”, allege the judges.

They denounce, therefore, that these initiatives aggravate the political interference in the Judiciary that is taking place in Spain, which compromises the values ​​enshrined in articles 2 and 49 of the EU Treaty, which proclaims the obligation of States to preserve The rule of law.

Finally, they request that if the situation is not remedied, Brussels initiate the procedure for verifying a clear risk of serious violation by the Kingdom of Spain of the values ​​contemplated in article 2 of the TEU and the rule of law.