Spanish Prime Minister criticised for publically supporting Judge Baltasar Garzón

Spanish Prime Minister criticised for publically supporting Judge Baltasar Garzón
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By h.b. - Mar 8, 2010 - 6:49 PM

Judge Baltasar Garzón - EFE

José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero praised the courage of the judge against ETA

The General Council for Judicial Power, CGPJ, the body which oversees the judiciary in Spain, has called on the Prime Minister and other politicians to ‘respect’ its judicial independence.

The actual statement fails to name José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero in particular, but it comes after he spoke in support of National Court judge, Baltasar Garzón over the weekend, when the Prime Minister praised the courage of the judge against ETA.

It warns of an ‘unmerited delegitimizing effect’ of such comments made over recent days, as Garzón now faces three separate counts of perversion of the course of justice, and the CGPJ has to decide whether to temporarily suspend him.

Partido Popular leader, Mariano Rajoy, also accused Zapatero of putting pressure on the Supreme Court, and criticised the Prime Minister for not supporting Judge Eloy Velasco following the insults from Venezuela.

Meanwhile the Socialist Organisation Secretary, Leire Pajón, has said that it was ‘odious and repugnant’ that members of the Government and the State of Law was being questioned regarding the fight against ETA when, ‘fortunately’ that fight is ‘inflexible’.

Pajín also spoke in support of José María Aznar, saying it was unacceptable that Hugo Chávez, the Venezuelan President, had described Judge Eloy Velasco as being part of José María Aznar’s mafia. She demanded ‘absolute respect’ for both Judge Eloy Velasco and for Aznar.

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