Artur Mas: The charges are ‘the reaction of an arrogant, furious and clumsy state’
‘Legally I didn’t disobey. Politically,
there was a democratic rebellion against the State’ Catalan President
Artur Mas stated this Wednesday referring to his summonsing by
Catalonia’s Supreme Court (TSJC). In a radio interview with Catalunya
Radio he described the charges as ‘the reaction of an arrogant, furious,
clumsy state, whose pride was hurt, which is incapable of dialogue and
which will do everything in its hands to get rid of me’. Mas admitted
that being suspended from office would have ‘legal consequences’ as long
as Catalonia is still subject to Spain’s legal system. Spanish Prime
Minister Mariano Rajoy considers it ‘false and unfair’ to attribute the
court’s decision to the Spanish government, as in Spain there is a
‘separation of powers’.
there was a democratic rebellion against the State’ Catalan President
Artur Mas stated this Wednesday referring to his summonsing by
Catalonia’s Supreme Court (TSJC). In a radio interview with Catalunya
Radio he described the charges as ‘the reaction of an arrogant, furious,
clumsy state, whose pride was hurt, which is incapable of dialogue and
which will do everything in its hands to get rid of me’. Mas admitted
that being suspended from office would have ‘legal consequences’ as long
as Catalonia is still subject to Spain’s legal system. Spanish Prime
Minister Mariano Rajoy considers it ‘false and unfair’ to attribute the
court’s decision to the Spanish government, as in Spain there is a
‘separation of powers’.
Not disobedience, nor misappropriation of public funds
President Mas is already preparing his declaration in front of the TSJC, scheduled for the 15th
of October, in which he will have to respond to the charges of
disobedience that the court attributed to him for organising the 9-N
symbolic vote on independence. ‘Legally I didn’t disobey’ emphasised Mas
and explained that Spanish Constitutional Court (TC) suspended the
consultation decree first and later the participative process. However,
when the Generalitat asked the TC which actions ‘were exactly
suspended’, the Court didn’t answer. ‘We never got to know what needed
to be suspended’, assured Mas.
of October, in which he will have to respond to the charges of
disobedience that the court attributed to him for organising the 9-N
symbolic vote on independence. ‘Legally I didn’t disobey’ emphasised Mas
and explained that Spanish Constitutional Court (TC) suspended the
consultation decree first and later the participative process. However,
when the Generalitat asked the TC which actions ‘were exactly
suspended’, the Court didn’t answer. ‘We never got to know what needed
to be suspended’, assured Mas.
Regarding the accusation of
misappropriation of public funds, Mas pointed out that all the resources
used for the consultation ‘still remain in the Generalitat’ and he
named the computers that are now used in schools as an example.
misappropriation of public funds, Mas pointed out that all the resources
used for the consultation ‘still remain in the Generalitat’ and he
named the computers that are now used in schools as an example.
The 27-S elections ‘endorsed’ the 9-N consultation
‘The 9-N consultation was an action of
standing firm in front of the State. I confess I was a democratic rebel
against the decision stopping us from putting the ballot boxes’ he
insisted.
standing firm in front of the State. I confess I was a democratic rebel
against the decision stopping us from putting the ballot boxes’ he
insisted.
According to Mas, this situation is ‘the
reaction of an arrogant, furious, clumsy state, whose pride was hurt,
which is incapable of dialogue and which will do everything in its hands
to get rid of me’. He added that the 27-S elections were the
‘democratic endorsement of the 9-N consultation. People backed and
endorsed the 9-N consultation and told the Spanish State to stop being
arrogant and vain, because at the end, people voted’ he remarked.
reaction of an arrogant, furious, clumsy state, whose pride was hurt,
which is incapable of dialogue and which will do everything in its hands
to get rid of me’. He added that the 27-S elections were the
‘democratic endorsement of the 9-N consultation. People backed and
endorsed the 9-N consultation and told the Spanish State to stop being
arrogant and vain, because at the end, people voted’ he remarked.
He admitted that in the event of the
court suspending him from office, it will have ‘legal consequences’ as
long as Catalonia continues to be subject to Spain’s legal system. He
insisted that public workers who helped organise the 9-N symbolic vote
‘can’t be forced to act illegally’, ‘no matter how powerful their
president is’ he stated, defending their actions.
court suspending him from office, it will have ‘legal consequences’ as
long as Catalonia continues to be subject to Spain’s legal system. He
insisted that public workers who helped organise the 9-N symbolic vote
‘can’t be forced to act illegally’, ‘no matter how powerful their
president is’ he stated, defending their actions.
Rajoy: In Spain there is a ‘separation of powers’
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy
considers it ‘false and unfair’ to attribute the TSJC’s summons to the
Spanish government. He also denied any political responsibility
regarding the date when President Mas will have to present himself to
the court; the 15th of October this year coincides with the 75th
anniversary of Catalan President Lluís Companys’ execution. ‘The
Spanish government has nothing to do with these decisions’ assured
Rajoy. ‘There is separation of powers’ in Spain, he emphasised. ‘It is a
legal decision and in a democracy, legal decisions have to be
respected, whether you like it or not’ he concluded.
considers it ‘false and unfair’ to attribute the TSJC’s summons to the
Spanish government. He also denied any political responsibility
regarding the date when President Mas will have to present himself to
the court; the 15th of October this year coincides with the 75th
anniversary of Catalan President Lluís Companys’ execution. ‘The
Spanish government has nothing to do with these decisions’ assured
Rajoy. ‘There is separation of powers’ in Spain, he emphasised. ‘It is a
legal decision and in a democracy, legal decisions have to be
respected, whether you like it or not’ he concluded.
Rajoy’s statements came after Spanish
Minister of Justice Rafael Catalá admitted to knowing the TSJC decision
in advance. Catalá assured that the court took into account the 27-S
elections and decided to leave the summons pending after the electoral
process to avoid ‘interfering’ with it.
Minister of Justice Rafael Catalá admitted to knowing the TSJC decision
in advance. Catalá assured that the court took into account the 27-S
elections and decided to leave the summons pending after the electoral
process to avoid ‘interfering’ with it.
