Alex Iszatt (Reporter)
THE government has proposed strict penalties for public corruption.
Officials could be hit with a 12 year prison sentence, if they are convicted of embezzling more than €250,000.
A sentence of two to eight years in jail, for those who steal more than €50,000 and up to one year for any party official who fails to adopt measures to control party financing.
The bill also calls for heavier sentences for people convicted of public disorder, including those who incite violence or organise demonstrations via the internet.
Justice Minister Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón said that the changes will help improve people’s confidence in the legal system.
So if you steal €49.999 you keep out of jail. When did stealing depend on a specific amount? doh
“..organise demonstrations via the internet”
What about people who organise peaceful demonstrations via the Internet or set up a FaceBook page for such a purpose? Spain is really becoming a nasty, draconian country.
Fred I agree, wholeheartedly. The amount should be irrelevant to the crime. The interesting thing would be whether the law is retrospective – say the past 20 years, seems it isn’t. And what is even more important to the public purse, and which would do wonders for returned well being of the long suffering Spanish people, whether the crooks would be made to return every single euro back by whichever means. What is the use of spending millions to keep white collar crooks behind bars when nothing seems to be returned, whilst millions of innocent citizens are suffering the loss of that money by draconian cuts in their welfare?
And re “organise demonstrations via the internet.”
Does it include those being organised to “hunt” down the enemies of the State, like that being organised by extremists groups against Catalonia and Gibraltar? A motion presented by IU Gaspar Llamazares in the Madrid Parliament to illegalize these groups two days ago has been turned down by the present government in full knowledge that these groups are growing by the minute.
Truly one wonders and shudders at the thought of what Spain is being led into.
Agree with both comments above.
As ridiculous is Spain’s view on pick-pockets. A recent tv programme showed the Capital of Spanish pick-pocketing Barcelona, and if the criminal (often Eastern European)pockets less than 400 euros, they neither go to court nor are they jailed. So steal 399 euros a pop, as many times as you like, get an on the spot fine of up to 100 euros, so you’re left with 299, do it 20 times a day, nice little earner. Meanwhile Spain don’t have expensive court costs nor having to give board and lodging to crims.
BTW there’s 150 of these thieves operating daily on the Barca metro system, let alone on their beaches and streets.
Beggars belief!
12 years for embezzling 250,000 euros or more?? That should see most of Spains top politicians out of the way for a bit!!
That is, if any of Spains judges have the guts to go through with it – or survives!