New quango to tackle human trafficking gangs (Spain)
Expatica News
11 October 2006
MADRID A new body to deal with immigration was agreed on Wednesday between the government and the main political parties.
With the absence of the support of the main conservative Popular Party, all other groups will support the new body.
The deputy prime minister, Mara Teresa Fernndez de la Vega, said the point of the new body was to agree basic points to work together to tackle the country's mounting immigration crisis.
De la Vega spoke to Uxue Barkos, of Nafarroa Bai, Begoa Lasagabaster, of the Mixed Group, Gaspar Llamazares, of the left-wing United Left, Josu Erkoreka, of the Basque Group, Joan Puigcercs, of the Catalan nationalist Esquerra Republicana de Catalua, Josep Antoni Duran i Lleida, of the Grupo Cataln and Eduardo Zaplana of the Popular Party.
De la Vega said all groups supported the basic principle of being in favour of legal and organised immigration.
She added all sides of the political spectrum agreed immigration had become the “priority phenomenon” in Spain.
The new commission, to be set up probably in the new year, would make tackling the human trafficking mafias and Spain's black economy its main target.
But she said it would also aim to help genuine migrants.
Zaplana accused the government of simply getting supporters for its own ideas and not trying to build up a general consensus with some dissenting voices.
