27.02.2017 - 11:07
Former Catalan President, Artur Mas’ right-hand man, Francesc Homs, faces trial this Monday for helping to organise the 9-N symbolic vote on independence in 2014. The Spanish public prosecutor accuses him of disobedience and perversion of justice for allowing the consultation to take place and wants Homs, former Catalan Government Spokesman and MP for the Catalan European Democratic Party (PDECAT), banned from office for 9 years. The judicialisation of the 9-N symbolic vote on independence in 2014, has already brought former Catalan President Artur Mas, and former Catalan Ministers Joana Ortega and Irene Rigau before the court. Homs himself also testified before Barcelona’s High Court less than three weeks ago. Then he stated that when the Catalan Government received the Spanish Constitutional Court (TC) ruling he told the Government that by allowing the 9-N they wouldn’t be “violating any law and even less the penal code”.
Hundreds join Homs to the court
While Mas, Ortega and Rigau had to testify before Barcelona’s High Court, Homs is facing the Spanish Supreme Court because he is currently a member of the Spanish Congress. On his way to the court, Homs was joined by 100 people. Amongst them, members of the Catalan Governments, representatives from Homs’ party, PDeCAT’s and other political forces such as left-wing pro-independence ERC and alternative left alliance ‘En Comú Podem’. Representatives of the main pro-independence civil associations, Catalan National Assembly (ANC), Òmniu Cultural, the Association of Municipalities for Independence (AMI) and the Catalan Association of Municipalities (ACM) were also there, representing the citizens’ support for those politics who have been summonsed for allowing the 9-N symbolic vote.
Homs lamented that the main institutions of the Spanish State have acted copycatting People’s Party (PP) interests. He repeatedly stated that the trial over the 9-N is a “political” case and not a judicial one. “We have the feeling that the sentence has already been dictated, even before listening to the parties involved”, the former Minister stressed.
9-year ban from public office
The Prosecutor’s temporary conclusions stated that Homs “didn’t suspend any of the articles which allowed the consultation to take place and which were accountable to the Department of the Presidency” which Homs led at that time. The document emphasises that former Catalan President, Artur Mas’ right-hand man was “absolutely aware” that “by doing so he violated the mandatory compliance of the Spanish Constitutional Court’s decisions”.
When testifying in Barcelona, Homs explained that he was responsible for the Government’s legal services and that besides this his being a lawyer made him knowledgeable of the TC resolutions and the executive’s responses.
According to Homs, when Mas suggested launching a participative process rather than a referendum, at the sight of the TC’s ruling, the Spanish Government reaction was one “of disdain” and he pointed out that expressions such as “it has no effect” and “it is just a protest” were used by the government in Madrid.
