Catalan parliament calls for Spanish judge to be charged over jailed politician
Catalonia’s parliament called on Friday for legal charges to be brought against a Spanish Supreme Court judge for refusing to release a jailed pro-independence politician who had hoped to be elected its regional leader, APA reports quoting Reuters.
The complaint was the latest broadside in a tussle between Barcelona and the central government, which imposed direct rule of the wealthy northeastern region after its government declared independence from the rest of Spain last October, APA reports quoting Reuters.
Supreme Court Judge Pablo Llarena thwarted an attempt this week by the Catalan parliament to nominate as its leader Jordi Sanchez, a long-time independence activist who is currently in jail awaiting trial on charges of rebellion.
A board of representatives from the parliament agreed to accuse Llarena of knowingly making an unjust ruling - one which regional parliament speaker Roger Torrent has described a “rights violation”.
The decision was opposed by unionist forces within the assembly, including liberal party Ciudadanos, which became the single biggest group in elections in December, but fell short of the secessionist coalition’s narrow majority.
Since the vote, pro-independence politicians have been unable to choose a new leader.
Former leader Carles Puigdemont fled to Belgium in November, avoiding a court appearance to answer charges of rebellion and misuse of public funds relating to the secession push.
Sanchez has appealed to be released from jail to receive the mandate, but Llarena refused, saying there was a risk he might repeat the same offence.
Central government spokesman Inigo Mendez de Vigo said on Friday that spending money on trying to bring charges against Llarena might constitute a misuse of public funds, and the Catalan parliament’s own lawyers had warned against it.
“It would be good if the parliament adhered to what the lawyers said,” Mendez de Vigo told a news conference in Madrid. “Don’t let them say afterwards that they didn’t know what the consequences were, because they have been warned.”
If no regional leader is elected by May 22, Catalans will be called to new elections.
Related news releases
22.07.2018Turkish, US treasury chiefs to meet at G20 event
22.07.2018One person killed in Norwegian gyrocopter crash:
21.07.2018UK detains 2 Dutch nationals for importing 1.6 tons of cocaine
21.07.20182 dead after migrant boat capsizes in NW Turkey
21.07.2018Man arrested after knife attack on German bus
20.07.2018Germany bus incident: At least 14 injured in suspected knife attack in Lubeck
19.07.2018Armenian deputy PM: Problem in Upper Lars hinders export of goods
19.07.2018Turkey lifts two-year-old state of emergency
17.07.2018Obama warns against 'strongman politics' in speech after Trump news conference
16.07.20182 die in France during World Cup celebrations
16.07.2018Man ejected from room ahead of Trump-Putin press briefing
16.07.2018Mogherini: Summit of EU, EaP countries to be held October 15
16.07.2018Putin, Trump hold one-on-one meeting
16.07.2018Apartment sold in Bitcoin in Batumi
16.07.2018Putin-Trump summit gets underway in Helsinki - UPDATED
16.07.2018Mogherini: EU is planning to increase support to Eastern Partnership
15.07.2018Norway reconfirms commitment to NATO defense spending target
15.07.2018Georgian parliament expresses confidence in the renewed government
14.07.2018Putin, Erdogan discuss joint steps in Syria
14.07.2018Turkish, Russian presidents discuss TurkStream, Akkuyu project over the phone - UPDATED
14.07.2018Opposition party members dump coffin outside Georgian parliament
14.07.2018Forest fire in Georgia’s Svaneti extinguished
14.07.2018Malta rebuffs Italy, says not responsible for migrant boat
14.07.2018Word 'Russia' goes unspoken as Mattis meets Balkan defense chiefs
13.07.2018Tens of thousands march through London in anti-Trump protests
12.07.2018Turkey: Binali Yildirim elected parliament speaker
12.07.2018Trump says he will raise election meddling with Putin at summit
12.07.2018Trump says NATO allies agreed to boost defense spending after his pressure
12.07.2018Helicopter crashes in Georgia, 5 people injured
12.07.2018SG Stoltenberg: NATO’s door remains open for Georgia
12.07.2018Czech government wins confidence vote in Parliament
12.07.2018NATO formally invites Macedonia to join alliance
12.07.2018Putin, Netanyahu meet in Moscow
12.07.2018Turkish airstrikes ‘neutralize’ 17 terrorists
11.07.2018NATO allies vow to meet spending targets after Trump criticism
11.07.2018Georgia names new prosecutor general
11.07.2018George Tsereteli elected OSCE PA president
11.07.2018EU appoints new ambassador to Georgia
11.07.2018Trump lashes out at Germany as ‘captive of Russia’
11.07.2018French military helicopter crashes in Abidjan
14.04.2018Turkey welcomes US-led joint airstrikes in Syria
14.04.2018Turkey says was informed ahead of air strikes on Syria
14.04.2018Georgian FM supports US and allies on Syrian operation
13.04.2018Russia spied on Skripal and daughter for at least 5 years: UK
13.04.2018Turkey slams Switzerland over 'Armenian Monument'
13.04.2018Macron urges stepped-up dialogue with Russia over Syria
Azerbaijan marks 143rd anniversary of national press
“The visit of the Azerbaijani president to France is extremely important from the point of view of ensuring our national interests”
Azerbaijan’s defense minister defines tasks to increase operational efficiency of troops
Angela Merkel to visit Azerbaijan
Ganja events: Eight more criminals detained, one liquidated
