‘Black day for European democracy’, ‘disaster for EU morality’: Catalan MEPs Carles Puigdemont, Clara Ponsatí and Antoni Comín, accused of sedition in Spain, denounced in the strongest possible terms on Wednesday 24 February the vote of the European Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs, which the previous day had called for their parliamentary immunity to be lifted (see EUROPE 12664/16).
In front of the press, all three criticised the parliamentary committee for yielding to pressure from the Spanish government.
“The request is not to see us tried, but imprisoned. It is clear that they want us in prison. Our defence is the one million people who voted to have us here in the European Parliament”, said Ms Ponsatí. She felt that the European Parliament should closely examine the way in which the Spanish judiciary proceeds, otherwise “that will weigh on its conscience“.
Denouncing an “arbitrary decision that allows Spain to muzzle political dissent”, Mr Puigdemont castigated the parliamentary committee’s reaction of satisfaction.
“European democracy sets a precedent for the treatment of minorities. Protecting minorities is an obligation of European democracy”, he argued.
Asked about his confidence in a vote of rejection of the lifting of immunities by the European Parliament in March, the former president of Catalonia replied, “If the European Parliament strictly follows democratic principles, we will win, but not if it votes under the pressure of the Spanish government... This is an EU dilemma. It is up to them to solve it”.
Denouncing the fact that the legal arguments of the MEPs have been ignored and the inconsistency with the Spanish Constitution, Mr Comín referred to a “political persecution” that “Parliament has chosen not to denounce”. And he added, “It is a black day for European democracy, for this Parliament. This is why Europe is losing its moral authority. We saw it with Mr Borrell’s trip to Moscow”. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)