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Madrid's reversal on Western Sahara: Eleven political parties demand explanations from Sanchez

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Madrid, 20 March 2022 (SPS) - Eleven Spanish parliamentary blocs are preparing to file on Monday, in the House of Representatives (Parliament), a request for the appearance of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to explain the change in Madrid's position regarding the Western Sahara conflict, Spanish media reported.
The parties EH Bildu, ERC, CUP, BNG, PNV, Junts, Pdecat, Mas Pais, Compromis, Nueva Canarias and Coalicion Canaria "ask Sanchez for an explanation of his recently announced decision on the Sahrawi issue in which he expresses his support for the Moroccan proposal of 2007 regarding what it calls 'autonomy', while Madrid has displayed, for decades, a position of neutrality" with regard to the Western Sahara conflict.
In this context, the Secretary of State for Agenda 2030, Enrique Santiago, stressed that "the Spanish government cannot support any action contrary to the decisions of the United Nations on the decolonization process of Western Sahara.
For their part, the leader of "En Comu Podem", Jessica Albiach and the spokeswoman of the ERC, Marta Vilalta, defended the self-determination of the Sahrawi people, while the presidential candidate of the People's Party, Alberto Nunez Figo, warned of the "harm" of this "deviation" of the government, regarding its reversal on Western Sahara.
In a statement, Coalicion Canaria demanded that Sanchez "explain as soon as possible" the reason for his shift from the demand for a "just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution, within the framework of the United Nations" to the acceptance of what is called "autonomy plan", defended by the Kingdom of Morocco.
As for the "Mas Pais" bloc, deputies Inigo Errejon and Ines Sabansen will question the government's motives for abandoning the UN resolutions, asking about the guarantees that the Spanish authorities will provide to ensure the security of the Sahrawi people.
Even Nueva Canarias, a party close to the Spanish Socialist Party of Pedro Sanchez, has displayed "the most absolute rejection" of the latter's decision on the Sahrawi issue. Roman Rodriguez, president of Nueva Canarias, stressed that this decision "is contrary to international law and UN resolutions.
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