Carmen Calvo highlights government's "firm and well-placed" commitment to human rights

House of America, Madrid

Carmen Calvo highlighted the government's "firm and well-placed" commitment to human rights during the events to commemorate "70 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights", which were also attended by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet.

"For this government, human rights are not a question of rhetoric in political discourse", stated Carmen Calvo, "but an extraordinary commitment that will be shored up in the 2nd Human Rights Plan that we are currently drawing up, which will offer continuity to the plan approved by the Socialist Government of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero" she added.

The Vice-President of the Government specified that the Council of Ministers approved a report on Friday to commence the process to approve this plan, "which is backed by civil society" and which "will place Spain within the parameters required by the United Nations".

"The plan will allow international treaties to continue to be transposed into the Spanish legal system, which oblige us to make further progress on the prevention and protection of human rights around the world", explained Carmen Calvo, who regretted the fact that the previous People's Party Government left this second plan "in limbo".

"After these recent years of shortcomings and devaluation we have arrived late to this task, but we are on target since our arrival to take on the constitutional functions of the executive to have this plan ready over the course of next year", concluded the Vice-President of the Government.

Non official translation