11 April, Brussels

Two teenage girls of 13 and 15 years old, wards of the Spanish government, were trafficked and sold for sex in Murcia, Spain. The case was kept under wraps until now, and the traffickers and aggressors were detained but are out on charges. The centers for the protection of minors are often funded by EU money, which prompted the members of European Parliament from the European Christian Political party (ECPM) to request a written answer from the European Commission, in particular from Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson.

Here is the text of the request for written answer:

“We are alarmed and concerned that in Spain there may be prostitution rings and traffickers operating in proximity to children social centers. Apart from the most recent case in Murcia, similar events have been reported in Baleares, Valencia and Navarra.

We condemn all forms of human trafficking and believe that minors, as wards of the state, are already in a vulnerable position and should be protected.  We support ECPM’s Spanish member party Valores, which filed an indictment against accused smugglers and perpetrators.

As many of these centers in Spain receive EU funds we would like to know what measures the Commission has taken to counter these practices and whether the Commission has requested the Spanish government to investigate the matter?”

The request was submitted by MEP Márton Gyöngyösi (HU) and was supported by MEP Anja Haga (NL), MEP Bert-Jan Ruissen (NL), MEP Cristian Terheș (RO) and MEP Niels Geuking (DE). The MEPs wish to see the truth brought to light, these vulnerable minors being protected, and the victims receiving justice. ECPM joins and supports the efforts by member party Valores in Murcia region to bring justice to the two teenagers; Valores has joined the prosecution in this case as a private entity.

The European Christian Political Movement is the only European political party explicitly working to promote Christian values in politics- values like peace, solidarity, freedom, justice- which are at the foundation of the European Union project. Our mission is to elevate people’s voices, to empower them with resources, knowledge and connections so that they can effectively engage with their communities and societies and make an impact.