Friday, 23 July 2010 09:56

The Madrid Assembly, the regional parliament of the Spanish autonomous community, will also discuss possible ban on bullfighting, after admitting today a popular legislative initiative presented by an organization defending the rights of animals. "Today is a historic day, this has never happened, we are very happy and excited," said the president of the association El Refugio, Nacho Paunero, DPA quoted. The chamber agreed to process the popular legislative initiative (ILP), after proving the validity of just over 51 600 signatures collected by the animal shelter to ask for the abolition of bullfights in Madrid.

The plenary of the Assembly will have to discuss now whether the consideration to see whether or not to follow later processing.


"Now is the turn of the politicians," said Paunero, which seeks to talk with each of the deputies. "We ask our politicians to be at least debate, as in Catalonia. They are ahead of us, have allowed the debate and have been tolerant," he said.


The debate comes in Madrid when the Catalan regional Parliament is about to vote on whether or not a ban bullfighting in that region of northeastern Spain, after several months of debate in the chamber.


The conservative Popular Party (PP), the Madrid regional government, has criticized from the beginning the debate on the bulls in Catalonia and its regional members there voted against the ban.


Moreover, in several regions where government, including Madrid itself, submitted to state initiatives like the bulls of cultural interest.


"However much we may strive (the president of the Community of Madrid) Esperanza Aguirre to say that this is a great cultural interest has been shown to thousands of Madrid are against bullfights and bull", said the Paunero regard.


Madrid is one of the areas in Spain where bullfighting meet more fans. However, in recent years the so-called national party has been losing adherents throughout the country, as shown in the polls. And the number of bulls festival has been declining.



Taken from: http://espectaculos.eluniversal.com