Sánchez on PP criticism for EH Bildu lists: “When the right sees the election lost, it turns to ETA”

Pedro Sánchez responded to a right-wing attack by launching a campaign against the government for including former ETA members in EH Bildu’s municipal candidates. During the PSOE election act in Vitoria, the president of the government lamented that “when the right has nothing to offer or they give up on the elections, they resort to the same argument as always: ETA”.

Sánchez assessed some of the latest economic news after an upward revision of Spanish expectations by the European Commission, AIREF, IMF or the Bank of Spain. “This will be the third year in a row that Spain leads the Eurozone’s major economies. With the best employment figures in the last 15 years. In the middle of the war and after the pandemic,” he said, before attributing this good economic health to Feijóo’s PP strategy.

“And what is PP’s response to this news? ETA,” he said before continuing. “And before the labor reform? ETA. And before revaluation of pensions? ETA”. The president criticized Tony for making terrorism a campaign issue on the right. “I remind you that the Spanish democracy defeated ETA 12 years ago and did it under a socialist government, a socialist interior minister and a socialist Lehendacar. And they can’t stand it,” he criticizes amid applause.

Sánchez has already criticized EH Bildu’s decision to include seven former members convicted of blood crimes on its electoral rolls, saying “it may be legal, but not decent”. Appearing in Washington after a meeting with the President of the United States last Friday, Sánchez strongly denied the existence of candidates with criminal records in the terrorist group. “The only thing these people can bring to public life is a message of forgiveness and repentance,” he said.

The Spanish president also wanted to emphasize during this appearance that more than ten years ago “Spanish democracy defeated ETA”. “It is the job of all members of society to recognize and support the victims of terrorism,” he added, stressing his government’s commitment “to their support, recognition and eternal remembrance.”