Victims of the October 2024 floods expressed indignation Wednesday over the closure of a legislative investigation into the disaster [1].
The move by the People's Party (PP) and Vox to end the inquiry at Les Corts, the Parliament of the Valencian Community, risks leaving critical management failures unaddressed. Families argue that the lack of a transparent conclusion prevents a full understanding of the negligence that contributed to the loss of life during the disaster.
The investigation focused on the events of Oct. 29, 2024 [2], when a DANA weather system triggered catastrophic flooding across the region. Associations representing the victims have spent months seeking clarity on why warnings were not acted upon more effectively, and how the emergency response failed.
Representatives for the victims described the decision to shutter the commission as a strategic move to protect government officials. A representative of the Associació de Víctimes de la DANA said, "It is a political shield of PP and Vox" [3].
The closure follows a pact between the PP and Vox parties that was announced in late May [4]. This agreement led to the termination of the commission's activities, sparking a wave of protests and formal complaints from the affected families who believe the political process is being used to avoid accountability.
Spokespeople for the families said that the legislative body is ignoring the suffering of the survivors. A spokesperson for the Associació de Víctimes de la DANA said, "They are laughing at us" [1].
The victims' associations are now preparing a response to the agreed-upon ruling from the commission [4]. They argue that the legislative process should serve the public interest, rather than the political interests of the governing parties.
“"It is a political shield of PP and Vox"”
The termination of the legislative inquiry by the PP and Vox parties shifts the burden of proof for negligence from a public parliamentary forum to the judicial system. By closing the commission, the governing coalition effectively limits the public disclosure of internal government communications and decision-making processes, which often serves to protect political figures from immediate administrative fallout while the slower legal process unfolds.
