Spanish MPs urge Rajoy to negotiate trade agreements with the Polisario

Eight Spanish MPs, who belong to the opposition parties and the «Spanish-Sahrawi Friendship Group» spent a couple of days in the Tindouf camps. The delegation was received by the Polisario leaders, including Brahim Ghali. Back in Madrid, they urged on Tuesday the Rajoy cabinet to negotiate agreements linked to the exploitation of the Western Sahara sources with the Polisario, reports Europa Press.

In their request, the MPs believe that the separatist Front «is the only legitimate body that represents the Sahrawi people». However, the legitimacy the Spanish parliamentarians are referring to have not been confirmed yet by the following bodies, namely the United Nations, the European Union and the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).

Recognizing the «SADR»

In its ruling, issued on the 21st of December 2016, the CJEU set aside the judgment of the General Court which had found the opposite to be the case and dismissed the action for annulment brought by the Front Polisario against the Council's decision to conclude the Liberalization Agreement. A decision that the Front refuses to acknowledge especially while campaigning aginst Morocco.

Moreover, the MPs called the Spanish government to recognize the «Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic». They stated that after the CJEU’s verdict, made public on the 27th of February of the current year regarding the 2014 fisheries agreement, gives Spain the «opportunity» to establish relations with the self-proclaimed entity in «all fields».

During the Security Council review initiated to renew the MINURSO’s mandate for another year, MPs called the Spanish government to make the UN extend the mission to the Sahara to monitor the human rights situation.

It is clear that no MP from the ruling People's Party has visited the Tindouf camps. However, in the opposition, Javier Moragas, former director of Mariano Rajoy’s cabinet from 2011 - 2017 did so.