President Mas: The Spanish State “will do everything to get rid of me”
CNA / Sara Prim
Barcelona (CNA).- “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”.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
More on
9-N, 9-N consultation, Artur Mas, Catalan President, Catalonia's Supreme Court, disobedience, Mariano Rajoy, President Mas, Rafael Catalá, Spanish Constitutional Court, Spanish Prime Minister, Summoning, TSJC
President Mas's interview at Catalunya Radio this morning (by ACN)
