The General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ) on Thursday endorsed that the former Minister of Justice Dolores Delgado meets the formal requirements to be a state attorney general with the support of 12 members and seven others against, which gives an idea of the division of opinions among the vowels. However, the report is not binding and should be discussed in the Congress of Deputies.
Sources of the Judicial Dome explained to the Economist that, although a majority of conservative members consider that the proposal of the former minister as Attorney General by the Government of Pedro Sánchez is a provocation to the institution, some of them have considered that an assessment beyond the technique could create a precedent dangerous for the future, since it would be necessary to discuss the convenience or not of each position on which the Institution should inform.
Nuria Díaz, José María Macías, Juan Martínez Moya, Juan Manuel Fernández, Gerardo Martínez Tristán, José Antonio Ballestero and Carmen Llombart have voted against the members.
Therefore, the approved text adheres to the formal aspect of the proposal, but avoids an express pronouncement on the “suitability” of Delgado to access the position of State Attorney General. Along the same lines was the proposal sent by the president of the CGPJ, Calor Lesmes, to the members, avoiding including the term “suitability”, which has been included in all the previous reports.
The particular vows
The sources consulted interpret that in order to avoid a more sour discussion than expected among the members, it was more coherent than in the particular votes cast, the discrepancies expressed at the Commission meeting were included. The criticisms of the members who have voted against, have just focused on their level of “suitability” for the position.
In the text, Lesmes said that “the requirements demanded by the invoked legislation are met in the referred candidate”, which consist of being a Spanish jurist of recognized prestige with more than 15 years of effective exercise of his profession. “The requirements, established by the Statute of the Fiscal Ministry, are to be a Spanish jurist of recognized prestige with more than fifteen years of professional practice .
Criticisms have been some associations of prosecutors and judges, considering that their recent performance at the head of the Portfolio of Justice reduces independence and impartiality. In this sense, the Association of Prosecutors showed in a statement their “surprise and discomfort at the news, although emphasizing the” professional and personal respect that deserves a career partner. “These associations have affected their” firm will ensure the autonomy of all prosecutors.
Justice Minister Juan Carlos Campo, meanwhile, defended Thursday the appointment of his predecessor, Dolores Delgado, as Attorney General of the State. “She is an impeccable professional,” said the minister upon arrival at the awards ceremony of the Association of Legal Communicators and Reporters (Acijur), his first official act as minister. Campo highlighted the urgency of renewing the CGPJ.
Paralyzed Appointments
The Plenary of the CGPJ also agreed to paralyze the appointment of judicial positions “in the confidence of a prompt renewal of the institution, once the Chambers were constituted after the last general elections and formed a Government.”
The selective processes for the coverage of judicial and governmental vacancies would be restarted if, in a reasonable time, “progress is being made in the face of this renewal, in order to avoid damages in the public service of the Administration of Justice,” organ “, as transmitted by the Council. Among the pending places, three in the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court.
