Perelló calls the government's "insistent disqualifications of justice" "inappropriate and reprehensible."

A forceful plea in defense of the independence of judges and magistrates from the president of the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ) and the Supreme Court. "The persistent discrediting of the judiciary by public authorities is completely inappropriate and unacceptable ," asserted Isabel Perelló at the opening ceremony of the Judicial Year, the ceremony that inaugurated the new year in the courts today.

The president of the Judiciary emphasized that " judges and magistrates do not obey orders or instructions from anyone in the exercise of our functions." However, she clarified that independence is not equivalent to free will: "Judicial independence is not a privilege of judges , but a guarantee of citizens and our first duty."

Perelló pointed out that, in addition to contradicting the European recommendation, these disqualifications are " inappropriate for an advanced state of law, where not only the principle of separation of powers prevails, but also that of mutual respect; in short, institutional loyalty ." Therefore, he asserted that disagreement and criticism are legitimate, "but discrediting the judiciary is not legitimate" or " attempting to negatively influence public perceptions of judges."

This vehement defense of judicial independence took place at an event presided over by King Felipe VI and surrounded by controversy surrounding the presence of the Attorney General of the State , Álvaro García Ortiz , who is being prosecuted for the leak of data concerning Isabel Díaz Ayuso's partner, Alberto González Amador. This unprecedented situation has led to the absence of the opposition leader , Alberto Núñez Feijóo, who decided not to attend the event, and has generated notable discontent among a large part of the judiciary .

One step away from appearing in the dock for the alleged crime of revealing secrets, García Ortiz not only attended the event but also spoke to present the State Attorney General's Report. The Attorney General began his speech by acknowledging that "I am fully aware of the unique circumstances of my intervention as a result of my procedural situation ."

The controversy surrounding García Ortiz's status as a defendant had led to various requests in recent days from associations of judges and prosecutors, as well as conservative members of the CGPJ (General Council of the Judiciary), demanding that the Attorney General not participate in the ceremony. In his brief opening remarks, the King referred to Article 181 of the Organic Law of the Judiciary, which requires the Attorney General of the State to attend the ceremony to present the Report of the Public Prosecutor's Office.

The Conservative bloc also asked Perelló to prevent the Minister of Justice, Félix Bolaños , from sitting on the podium in the room where the ceremony is taking place, something that ultimately happened. This climate of tension has been heightened by statements by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez , who last Monday accused the judges investigating his wife and brother of "playing politics" on public television.

Responding indirectly to these remarks, Isabel Perelló stated that "it is not the duty of the Judiciary to engage in controversy or criticism of individuals or institutions," but clarified that "we will firmly defend the essential principles that define the Judiciary and make it worthy of its name."

"If I am here as the Attorney General of the State , it is because I believe in justice and in the institutions that comprise it : in the rule of law, in the independence of the judiciary, in the principles of legality and impartiality, and, of course, also in the truth," García Ortiz stated at the Supreme Court, the same court where he will likely be tried in the coming months . He also called for "the utmost respect for the role of the Spanish Prosecutor's Office," an institution that "does not succumb to the attacks or assaults of criminals."

Data for the judicial year

As every year, Álvaro García Ortiz presented the Annual Report of the Attorney General's Office during the event. Among the most notable data, he noted that 1,687,743 preliminary investigations were initiated in 2024, 1.4% more than the previous year. Crimes against life and property accounted for 32% of preliminary investigations, while crimes against property remained at 21%.

In 2024, 245,851 urgent proceedings or fast-track trials were initiated, representing a 2.6% increase compared to the figure for 2023. The importance of these proceedings is reflected in the fact that, last year, the Public Prosecutor's Office filed charges in 65.4% of the cases initiated—more than 160,000 indictments. In 74.6% of cases, a plea was reached before the investigating courts.

Regarding minor trials , a total of 401,901 were processed in 2024, a significant increase compared to previous years. Regarding summary proceedings , the Attorney General emphasized that there has been a notable increase of 13.8% compared to the figure recorded in 2023.

The number of ordinary or summary proceedings initiated in 2024 represented a 14% increase compared to the previous year. Similarly, the number of proceedings initiated before the jury court rose to 694, a figure slightly higher than in 2023.

The Public Prosecutor's Office's pre-trial investigation led to the initiation of 15,504 proceedings in 2024. The number of cases reported to the Public Prosecutor's Office totaled 365,418, compared to just 316,000 the previous year.

Regarding the percentage of trial suspensions , there was a decrease in 2024 compared to the previous year. In criminal courts, on average, 36.8% of trials were suspended, almost 6% less than in 2023, while in provincial courts the average was 32.6%.