At the initiative of the PNV, the issue of asbestos has been discussed again in the Congress of Deputies. The law on the compensation fund for damage caused by this pollutant was adopted in 2022, but once approved, the Spanish Government has not developed it and has not provided funds.

In Congress, all political forces have once again called on the Spanish Government to approve the regulations provided for by the law, to approve the appeals submitted by associations of victims and trade unions and to take this fund into account in the budgets. "The law means recognition and reparation. But unfortunately, that reparation is still to be seen," said PNV Member Idoia Sagastizabal in presenting the initiative.

"Historical debt" of the Government of Spain

Last February, parliamentarians from Sumar, PNV, ERC, Junts, Podemos, Coalition Canaria, BNG and EH Bildu sent a letter to the government asking it to take steps to implement the 2022 law. "The Spanish Government has a historic debt to the victims of asbestos, because it was a lot it could do, but it did not. EH spokesman Bildu, Oskar Matute, explained many times they looked away.

Decades ago, it was known that asbestos causes lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis, but its use was not prohibited in the Spanish state until 2002, when it was already banned in many European countries. According to the LAB union, between 6,000 and 10,000 people could have died in Euskal Herria as a result of inhaling this toxic substance.

PSOE: Procedure in progress

The parliamentarian of the Socialist Group, María Luisa García, explained on behalf of the Government of Sánchez that the draft royal decree that recognizes the fund for the victims "is in its process". García added that the contributions of the different autonomous communities are being analysed to "take them into account in the standard and thus be able to continue the processing".

For his part, the socialist parliamentarian has asked the members of the pp to act "with responsibility and responsibility". "There are a lot of people at stake, a lot of communities and a lot of city halls, even the ones you send, too many. In particular, 12 billion is at stake," he said, accusing the people of not covering the so-called "fiscal route" of the Spanish Government.

At the end of his presentation, García recalled that it was the PSE-EE that gave "a determined boost" to the law of fund creation.

Victims: "Meanwhile, people are dying."

The member of the Federation of Associations of Victims of the Basque Country Irratia Fedavica, Jon García, explained that despite the PSOE's support for the PNV initiative in the Spanish Congress, the victims do not have "much hope" of their attitude to what they have done in the last two years.

In this regard, the victims' representative has shown his "concern" and said that "while the law has stood still, people are dying". In Hego Euskal Herria, according to the association of Asviamie victims, there are already thirteen people who died this year from asbestos.

According to García, the fund would mean that the victims do not have to pass “another ballot” through the courts and court proceedings in order to obtain compensation.