Spain: PM Rajoy Says It’s Time For ‘Complete Overhaul’ Of Justice System

During the inauguration of the 12th Legal Congress of the Bar Association of Malaga, the acting Prime Minister of the Government, Mariano Rajoy, committed to pushing through a complete overhaul of the justice system through a significant national agreement, “as soon as it is possible to form a government”, with the backing and initiatives of all involved.

Rajoy said that the reform of the justice system will need to be tackled “together, in a united fashion and with a sense of responsibility, through a significant national, political, institutional and professional agreement, with participation from all involved, by listening to everyone and by building together”.

Rajoy recalled that his government has made justice “one of the strategic pillars of the National Plan of Reforms”, with the aim of offering responses to many problems that had been raised.

Among these reforms, he quoted the Constitutional Law on the Judiciary, the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Act. He also referred to the new legislation approved, such as the Mediation Act, the Law on Voluntary Jurisdiction, the Second Chance Act and the Victims Charter.

Rajoy added that the Constitutional Law on the Constitutional Court has also been reformed in order to guarantee that “its rulings are complied with”, and a “major raft of anti-corruption measures” have been approved, including setting up the Office to Recover Lost Assets.

Rajoy highlighted “the commitment to technology” of today’s justice system which “operates to the benefit of our legal professionals and citizens”. He added that at present the justice system provides “a public service that is better, faster and cheaper”. In fact, the President of the Government stated that the use of new technologies has so far made a saving of 393 million euros in costs (travel, paper and time), almost 14,000 electronic auctions have taken place and close on 50 million electronic communications have been effected.

On another note, Rajoy sent out a “sincere message of gratitude” to all Spanish lawyers for “having contributed to making this a better country and a fairer society”. He stated that “legal certainty is the lynchpin of the modern rule of law in an evolving world”.

In response to questions from journalists prior to taking part in the inauguration of the 12th Legal Congress of the Bar Association of Malaga, Rajoy spoke about the current political situation. In this regard, he stressed, in reference to the PSOE [Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party], that “we are prepared to consider any possibility because the priority is to form a government”.

He also underlined that “I am not going to impose any conditions”, because “it would be foolish to hold another round of elections”, since “bedding down our economic recovery and creating jobs are at stake”.