CATALIONIA and Spain are set for another legal confrontation with Madrid ready to challenge the inauguration of Carles Puigdemont as president – if he attempts it by video from his exile in Brussels or through a proxy MP.
Enric Millo, a delegate for the Spanish government in Catalonia, yesterday branded the potential long-distance investiture “nonsense”.
“Whoever tries to twist the legality for a partisan interest will face a government which will do the utmost to avoid it,” said Millo, adding that the Spanish cabinet would “make sure that Parliament regulations and democratic legality are fulfilled and that no one tries to bend the law to do the absurd”.
Puigdemont, who is facing charges of sedition and rebellion, as well as the misuse of public funds over the October 1 referendum and subsequent Catalan declaration of independence, has an arrest warrant hanging over him and fears he will be arrested should he try to enter Catalonia.
Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s executive said yesterday that the Catalan Parliament’s regulations do not allow a president to be sworn in from a distance.
“This would question the Parliament’s existence itself as a physical body of representation for Catalan citizens,” it said in a report. “The candidate for president is expected to form a government whose members have the obligation to be present in the Parliament when requested, so it is not understandable he is unable to turn up when being sworn in.”
It added that delegating the vote could only be done under “extraordinary situations,” such as maternity or paternity leave, hospitalisation or serious illness.
Spain’s move came as three Catalan independence supporters tried to secure their release from jail for their part in the breakaway bid.
Former Catalan interior minister Joaquim Forn, Jordi Sanchez, a member of the pro-independence National Catalan Assembly civic group, and Catalan activist Jordi Cuixart made their case for release from jail to Supreme Court judge Pablo Llarena.
Forn was one of several regional ministers jailed on charges of rebellion after the Catalan parliament unilaterally declared independence on October 27, a move that prompted Rajoy to dissolve the regional parliament and call fresh elections on December 21. Sanchez and Forn were elected on independence party tickets in that ballot.
Sanchez and Cuixart had previously been jailed on sedition charges related to preparations for an October 1 indyref in Catalonia, which the Constitutional Court had declared illegal. Sanchez acknowledged to the judge that the referendum was not legally valid, according to lawyers.
Developments surrounding Catalonia have gripped Spain for months and the tumult is showing no sign of letting up before the newly-elected Catalan parliament’s first session next Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Carme Forcadell, a prominent pro-independence MP re-elected last month, said yesterday she will not seek re-election as the parliament’s speaker when the chamber sits next week.
Forcadell, who is also under investigation for rebellion for her involvement in the drive for independence, said it was time for someone else to occupy the post. The role is important because the speaker can decide what is debated and voted on.
She said the person in charge must be free from legal encumbrances: “This facilitates things to be able to defend that you can speak and debate everything, and to be free of pressures and threats.”
Elsewhere, a Spanish academic specialising in constitutional law has attacked the crackdown by Madrid. Javier Pérez Royo – who supported the indyref – told the news website VilaWeb.cat that he was pessimistic about the future of Spanish democracy. He said: “It’s a bleak outlook; it’s nearly impossible to stop the Supreme Court.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel