Fernando Grande-Marlaska has changed his opinion on the amnesty and has stated that "it is necessary to move forward and for the wounds to heal", after presiding the coordination meeting of the security operation for the two European summits to be held in the city of Granada on Thursday and Friday - within the framework of the Spanish presidency of the European Union. He's now taking an approach which contrasts strongly with the way he has spoken about the issue previously. In 2019, for example, he said that "all claims that are put forward must be within the framework of the Constitution and the law" and that the amnesty "is not recognized". Now, the acting interior minister, a figure close to the monarchy, no longer presents head-on opposition to the measure to wipe the slate clean for Catalan independence process prosecutions and he points out that "it has become very clear" that "everything" that is negotiated for the investiture will be in the context of "dialogue" , within the framework of the Spanish Constitution.
Along these lines, Marlaska said he was convinced that there will be a "successful" investiture of Pedro Sánchez as new PM, after "the whole of Spanish society expressed what it wanted" at the polls - referring to "a government of progress". He also committed himself to addressing "all dialogue policies that generate cohesion, heal wounds and look to the future within the constitutional framework". That is to say, for him it is about continuing to "work on social and territorial cohesion", as well as "on well-being and growth of all kinds". Finally, he insisted on the fact that the conditions are in place for there to be an executive chaired by Pedro Sánchez "within the period legally established" by the Constitution.
Civil Guards and police, against Marlaska
The acting minister made these statements on the same day that the National Police union JUPOL announced that it will take part in the demonstration on October 8th in Barcelona, against the proposed amnesty and also to show opposition to a possible "expropriation" of the Spanish police station in Via Laietana to install a museum in memory of the victims of torture - a plan that the pro-independence parties have put forward. The police corps will take advantage of the protest to denounce the "attacks" it allegedly receives and oppose their use as a "bargaining chip" in Sánchez's investiture. The demonstration has been called by the Spanish nationalist supporters of Societat Civil Catalana (SCC) and will gather under the slogan "Not in my name. Neither amnesty, nor self-determination".
In addition, the seven associations belonging to the Civil Guard's representative council have criticized Marlaska for "not showing his face" over the "unprecedented attack" they are suffering and the loss of the paramilitary body's competencies. In a press conference this Wednesday, they asked for an urgent meeting with the minister and asked him directly: "Who will defend us?" Specifically, they reported his absence at the start of the meeting of the Council of the Civil Guard last September 28th because he was in Brussels.