Spain’s Supreme Court closes terrorism investigation against Puigdemont – Euractiv

Supreme Court Judge Susana Polo agreed on Tuesday to drop proceedings against several defendants in the so-called “Democratic Tsunami” case, in which Spanish courts investigated whether violent demonstrations by Catalan separatist groups were justified following the conviction of several people responsible for orchestrating the 2017 secession attempt. terrorist attacks.

Deleted: One of the cases the investigation focused on was the blockade of Barcelona Airport’s runways by pro-Puigdemont separatist groups in 2019, which paralyzed air traffic for several hours.

Deleted: Polo made her decision after another judge had previously suspended the criminal proceedings on the case before the Spanish Supreme Court (Audencia Nacional) in an investigation ongoing since 29 July 2021 due to an error regarding the timeframe in an extension of the proceedings, Euractiv’s partner EFE reported.

Deleted: Polo pointed out on Tuesday that no investigation had been opened against Puigdemont before that date, “which prevents the process from continuing due to the formalities of the procedure (…)” before the Supreme Court.

Deleted: The conclusion of that investigation came on the same day that another judge in Spain refused to apply a controversial amnesty law to Puigdemont. The case concerned alleged Russian interference in the Catalan independence process between 2012 and 2023, the period covered by the amnesty law.

Deleted: Puigdemont, leader of the right-wing separatist party JxCat, was president at the time of the Catalan regional government’s illegal unilateral declaration of independence. He then fled to Belgium to escape Spanish justice.

Deleted: However, the separatist leader recently assured that, despite all the legal proceedings pending against him, he could return to Spain without fear of arrest to attend a hypothetical inauguration ceremony as regional president, since JxCat was the second largest party after the Catalan Socialist Party (PSC) in May last year. snapshot Regional elections.

Deleted: Meanwhile, PSC leader and former Health Minister Salvador Illa is negotiating under time pressure with other regional parties, in particular the left-separatist Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC), to form a stable government before the end of August and avoid a repeat of the elections.

(Fernando Heller | EuroEFE.Euractiv.es)

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