As reported by all Spanish media, the new version of the law on foreigners will come into force next week after publication in the official government gazette.
The decision on visas, as Spanish Prime Minister José María Aznar stated earlier, should promote the development of legal immigration to Spain. Those immigrants who arrive with work contracts will no longer face the bureaucratic red tape they suffered from before.
At the same time, according to RIA Novosti, the main changes in the law are aimed at those who entered the country illegally and live in it without the appropriate documents. Control over the entry and stay of illegal immigrants in Spain will be significantly strengthened, and punishment for this will be tightened.
In total, 20 new articles have been added to the law, which contains 70 articles, 13 of which are so harsh and controversial that Spain's Supreme Court previously refused to approve them. Opponents of these changes to the law on foreigners said they pander to racist sentiments in the country and will contribute to the growth of xenophobia.