Wednesday, 28 July 2010 07:19

The initiative was supported by ERC (21 members) and ICV-EUiA (12) and the majority of the 48 representatives of CiU, which has given a free vote. The Catalan Parliament on Wednesday agreed to ban the bullfights held in this region since 2012, making it the second veto Spanish community in the festivities, after the Canary Islands in 1991. The vote to close a process that began on November 11, 2008 when the Bureau of the Catalan Chamber declared admissible a Popular Legislative Initiative (ILP) which called for the ban bullfighting in Catalonia.

The platform "Prou!" ('Enough!) Collected 180,000 signatures - 50 000 were necessary, and got a clearance process began that after passing through different stages on Wednesday came to the full parliament.



Catalonia bans bulls


Parliament has abolished the bull by 68 votes to 55 .- La Monumental de Barcelona will continue to be held until next January.

Video here

http://www.elpais.com/articulo/espana/Cataluna/prohibe/toros/elpepuesp/20100728elpepunac_1/Tes



Time is running out of the bulls in Catalonia. 68 votes for, 55 against and 9 abstentions, the Catalan parliament has accepted the People's Legislative Initiative calling for ban bullfighting in the community. The law will take effect on January 1, 2012, as the Catalan bull year and a half are left to enjoy the bulls in the Monumental.


The forecasts have not failed, and the free vote of the two major parties, CiU and PSC, decanting finished voting. Most Members nationalists have tended to the Yes, the Socialists have chosen mainly by No. But the difference between them is insurmountable.


The President of the Generalitat, José Montilla, has appeared at a news conference after the vote. He clarified that he had voted no, calls for the prohibition of bulls does not become a new conflict between Catalonia and the rest of Spain.


"I hope moderation and sense of responsibility around the world."


In the ranks of the PSC is a leading abstention, that of Minister of Economy, Antoni Castells. This has been characterized in recent months for its substantive disagreements with the direction of the Catalan Socialists and the mismasfilas Montilla.En itself has also declined Joan Ferran Congressman and Congresswoman Rosa Maria Ferrer. Voted for the deputies of the platform maragall Canvi Ciutadans pel, attached to PSC, Josep M. Balcells and Antoni Comin and Núria Carreras.


In the ranks of CiU, his staff has voted for the ban on head Artur Mas. The opposition leader had not clarified its meaning vote, but eventually voted yes to the ban with Oriol Pujol, Felip Puig Francesc Homs. Ebro nationalist deputies did not vote. Prohibition against Members voted Anna Miranda, Xavier Vila or the mayor of Figueres Santi Vila.


For its part, the president of the PP in Catalonia, Alicia Sánchez Camacho has said it is a "sad day for Catalonia" and accused the CiU and PSC have prompted the ban. "You can not be in favor and against both of bullfighting," he assured Sanchez Camacho. The president of the Catalan PP has announced that it will take the Senate and Congress the proposal to declare bullfighting general cultural interest to be protected in Spain as a whole and can not be prohibited by an autonomous community. In the Canaries the party was abolished on the proposal of a Member of the PP but Camacho did not charge against the decision of this community because, he said, "there was no tradition."


A long journey


With this vote Sepone end a process by which the Parliament has lived with intensity for a year and a half. The continuation will be fought now in other places: the protaurinos have announced they will ban the Constitutional Court, and the PP will attempt to change state laws to avoid the ban. The platform Prou!, Promoter of abolition, will also continue its way defending the rights of animals, but with a win under his belt. Employers will also work bullfighting: negotiating compensation with the Government by the end of the Fiesta, which amount to some 300 million euros.


The latest debate has repeated the tonics that have been all this time. The parties have decided to vote differently played: PP and Ciutadans groups have accused the nationalists to vote for the abolition on the grounds of identity, arguing that correbous, the celebration of bullfighting Catalan, remain intact, ERC and ICV's have contested, and described in detail the suffering that the animal lives in the square. The four parties have launched their proclamations requests to members to bow their vote. CiU and PSC have played to collect all opinions. More ambiguous nationalist Josep Rull, applauded as both anti-bullfighting bullfighting, which the socialist David Perez, known taurine, which has tried to convince his late co-rows.


Not been achieved.

Joy and anger at the gates of the Parliament


Outside the chamber Catalan celebrations of some and the sadness of other samples are not waiting. Just know that the prohibition of the bulls had flourished fifty anti-bullfighting activists have exploded in jubilation. The Catalan police have deployed more troops in order to avoid any hint of confrontation.

At the door of the Parliament, the decision has been staged with the anti-bullfighting located to the left of the door and protaurinos right.


The strongest statements have come from bullfighting sector, defeated in the vote today. "Traitors, traitors" was the most played song protaurinos concentrated among activists to Parliament. "The problems of Catalonia have been finished, Mr. Millet has already returned the money, and textbooks are free, yes, the bulls are banned!".


All Members asked for explanations and gave thanks that this time the vote was not secret. "At least I know who has betrayed us." With gestures of indignation and insults to the anti-bullfighting protesters, opponents of the abolition has concluded that after the vote has come to see their president of the Catalan PP Alicia Sánchez Camacho, who has tried to attract his sympathies on the basis of promises of fighting in the Courts Constitutional and leave by the wayside today's decision.

In the ranks had also anti-bullfighting who called no victory, but could hear the song of "bullfighting Barcelona, oe oe, oe". "We will keep the doors of the arena because the ban does not take effect until next year "explained one activist. "Until we set aside all animal abuse Catalonia is not Europe," he said.