typicallyspanish.com

Spain News : National
+ Larger Font | + Smaller Font
Spanish Prime Minister calls for a sincere understanding against terrorism
By h.b. - Dec 6, 2007 - 2:42 PM
ALSO SEE : • Supreme Court archives case against the President of the Constitutional Court - Jun 5, 2008 - 11:37 PM
• Constitutional Court judge dies from a heart attack - May 19, 2008 - 6:56 AM

Spanish Prime Minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero - Photo EFE
enlarge photo

José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero was speaking as part of the acts to commemorate the anniversary of the Spanish Constitution
The Prime Minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, and the Catalan President, José Montilla, were both whistled at and booed on the steps of congress today as the ceremony got underway to mark the anniversary of the Spanish Constitution.

The ceremony was marked by the death yesterday of the second Civil Guard shot last Saturday in France, Fernando Trapero. The traditional cocktail taken by the deputies was cancelled and a minute’s silence was held in memory of the two dead Guardia Civil.

Speaking in Congress today, Spain’s Prime Minister said that the Basque ANV party is now far closer to illegality today than it was yesterday. José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero used the Constitution Day in Spain to repeat his intention to work for political unity against the terrorists, and the leader of the opposition, Mariano Rajoy, said that he would support the government in their efforts to defeat ETA. Zapatero said that a ‘sincere understanding’ was needed, but he admitted that would take its time.

Despite a call from the President of Congress, Manuel Marín for short speeches, the Partido Popular leader used his turn to make a speech considered to be electioneering in which he said that the Prime Minister had broken agreements and generated divisions. Rajoy said that the Socialists had not protected the rights of the majority, because of their pacts with the nationalist parties.

Manuel Marín called for the political parties to return to ‘capital letter politics’ as he described his call for seriousness. In an emotional speech Marín called for a return to constitutional values.

Speaking to the press after the formal ceremony to commemorate the anniversary of the Spanish Constitution, the Prime Minister said that he had spoken to the PP leader on repeated occasions the previous day as the news of the second death, and the ETA detentions had been taking place. He said he did so as he wanted to return to fluid dialogue on the matter between the Government and the opposition.


 smartphone/pda/iphone |  email this article |  printer friendly page

 del.icio.us |  digg |  technorati |  yahoo | Stumble It!
Facebook | Reddit | Newsvine | Meneame | Wikio | Blink

ALSO SEE :
• Supreme Court archives case against the President of the Constitutional Court - Jun 5, 2008 - 11:37 PM
• Constitutional Court judge dies from a heart attack - May 19, 2008 - 6:56 AM
• Constitutional Court rules that harsher sentences for male domestic violence are legal in Spain - May 15, 2008 - 8:13 AM
• Constitutional Court draft on the Catalan Statute accepts the use of the word - Nation - May 2, 2008 - 6:53 AM
• Constitutional Court rejects PP appeal against Organic Law - Apr 9, 2008 - 7:35 PM
• Constitutional Court in the news in Spain - Mar 13, 2008 - 8:25 AM
• Top Spanish judge accused of drawing a gun during a traffic altercation - Dec 19, 2007 - 8:11 PM
• Constitutional Court accepts for debate the Government's challege against two judges - Dec 3, 2007 - 4:11 PM
• Spanish constitutional commission passes Historical Memory Law - Oct 17, 2007 - 11:24 PM
• Constitutional Court admits appeal by the Basque party, ANV - May 9, 2007 - 11:04 PM