On Wednesday, March 5, the GUE/NGL, ALDE, GREENS / EFA and S & D, are jointly organizing with the Platform for the Establishment of a Truth Commission a conference  titled "Searching for Truth, Justice and Redress in Europe for the victims of Francoism".

This initiative will address for the first time in the European Parliament the need to know the truth, to bring to justice and to heal the pain and memory of the victims of Francoism. To this end, the testimonies of victims of Franco and their families will be heard as well as the Director General of the Memoria Democrática de la Junta de Andalucía, Luis G. Naranjo, and representatives of a number of associations.

A press conference is also planned for Wednesday, March 5th at 9:00 am in room ASP1G2 during which MEPs promoting this statement will be present as well as the DG of Memoria Democrática, Luis Naranjo, and representatives of the Platform and other associations present.

The initiative will also serve to give an impulse and public presentation of the "Declaración de Eurodiputados para demandar la creación de una Comisión de la Verdad en España" (Declaration of MEPs to demand the creation of a Truth Commission in Spain), jointly promoted by the Platform for the Establishment of a Truth Commission and Spanish MEP Willy Meyer (IU), Raul Romeva (IC), Iñaki Irazabalbeitia (Aralar), Miguel Angel Martinez and Vicente Garces (PSOE), and Izaskun Bilbao (PNV) .

After the conference, the Platform for the Truth Commission will send a petition to the European Parliament's Petitions Committee.

Among the participating associations will be representatives from the Platform for the Truth Commission, Plataforma contra la Impunidad del Franquismo, (Platform against Impunity of Francoism), State Coordinator for cases of stolen children, Asociación Andaluza por la memoria democrática y la justicia, (Andalusian Association for democratic memory and justice), Asociación Marrufo y Foro por la Memoria Marrufo (Association and Forum for Memory).

For information: José Criado  + 32 2 2847557 jose.criadogarcia@europarl.europa.eu

GUE/NGL press contact: Gianfranco Battistini + 32 475 646628 gianfranco.battistini@europarl.europa.eu