Catalan autonomy movement - Spain's judiciary: No amnesty for separatist Puigdemont
Spanish Justice has rejected the desired immunity of Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont and others from the government and upheld the arrest warrant. This means that the 61-year-old, who would like to be the Prime Minister of Catalonia again after the regional election in mid-May, cannot return to Spain from exile for the time being. Puigdemont compared the judges to the Mafia.
For the leftist government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, this decision is a heavy setback, wrote the newspaper "El País" on Monday. If the ongoing negotiations about a government for Catalonia do not result in success by August 26, a new election would be necessary. It was initially unclear how to proceed further. The decisions of the judges can still be contested.
Judges: Amnesty law is vaguely formulated
The competent judges at the Supreme Court argued that Puigdemont and others had enriched themselves personally through the use of public funds for the illegally declared independence referendum in 2017 and the attempted secession of the region from Spain. They had also violated the financial interests of the EU. According to the Amnesty law, there is no protection from prosecution for these offenses.
The judges explained that "personal enrichment" already exists when a politician uses public funds for the pursuit of illegal goals instead of their own money. Because in this way, they fill their own pockets. However, the government only wanted to exclude cases where public funds went into the pockets of politicians. The judges, however, saw it differently and accused the government of having hastily formulated and passed the Amnesty law.
Only Judge Ana Ferrer opposed her five male colleagues and emphasized that the "reasonable" interpretation of the law leads to amnesty.
- Despite the rejection of immunity for Carles Puigdemont and his colleagues, they continue to aim for prominent roles in the upcoming regional election in Catalonia, with Puigdemont aspiring to become the Prime Minister again.
- The recent decision by Spanish Justice to uphold the arrest warrant against Puigdemont and others has been criticized by the leftist government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, as reported in El País.
- Following the verdict, it has been suggested that if negotiations on forming a government in Catalonia fail by August 26, a new regional election may be necessary.
- In response to the judges' accusations of enriching themselves through the use of public funds, the Amnesty law has been deemed vaguely formulated, with the judges contending that the legislation was hastily passed and lacks clarity.
- The ongoing conflict between Catalonia and Spain continues to impact justice and politics, as lawmakers and judges grapple with the nuances of the Amnesty law and the implications for individuals like Carles Puigdemont and the separatist movement.
