Junqueras and Puigdemont, among the at least 24 pro-independence politicians who would benefit from reforming embezzlement

Jové and Salvadó are waiting to be tried for this crime for the preparations for 1-O

MADRID, 7 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) -

A reform of the crime of embezzlement like the one pointed out by the Government and ERC could benefit at least 24 pro-independence politicians currently being investigated, prosecuted or convicted of this illegal criminal offense due to 1-O, including those who were president and vice president of Catalonia Carles Puigdemont and Oriol Junqueras, respectively.

Among those directly benefited by the eventual reform would be the pro-independence leaders convicted by the Supreme Court (TS) for embezzlement and sedition: Junqueras, sentenced to 13 years in prison and 13 years of disqualification; and the former directors Raül Romeva, Jordi Turull and Dolors Bassa, who were sentenced to 12 years in prison as well as disqualification. In their case, their jail sentences were pardoned, but their disqualification remain in force.

In addition to those already convicted, a reform of embezzlement would affect Puigdemont and former councilors Toni Comín, Clara Ponsatí and Lluís Puig, all on the run but claimed by the instructor of the 'procés', Pablo Llarena, for said crime and sedition.

They are joined by the president of ERC in the Parliament and former general secretary of the Vice-presidency and Economy of the Generalitat, Josep Maria Jové, and the also deputy and former secretary of Finance, Lluís Salvadó, to whom the Superior Court of Justice of Catalonia (TSJC) has sent to trial, for embezzlement, prevarication and serious disobedience for the preparations for 1-O.

According to the judicial investigation, Jové - member of the Catalan delegation at the dialogue table between Moncloa and the Government - disregarded the mandates of the Constitutional Court against the organization of the independence referendum; he would have obtained personal data from Catalans irregularly to prepare a census; he "actively" participated in the search for places to vote; and on his computer there were files like 'model ballot'.

Among the indications against Jové and Salvadó, the instructor details that they made presentations to other States and organizations to obtain financing, and also that the Tax Agency was provided with the e-Spriu system, capable of collecting and managing and executing taxes for which " there were no powers" such as income tax, VAT or companies.

The instructor also believes that Salvadó devised a program to standardize the internal mechanisms for processing taxes and social contributions that the Generalitat paid to the State, to "control and have the maximum possible information on taxpayers and on the quotas paid for taxes unceded states".

In addition, there are 14 other former government officials who were prosecuted in 2019 by the Investigating Court Number 13 of Barcelona for embezzlement --and other crimes-- for the preparations for the independence referendum on October 1, 2017, although the case currently remains. in a judicial limbo.

The Provincial Court maintained said resolution but ordered the judge to re-interrogate the 29 defendants (including those 17) and now their concurrence with another cause is being studied, which is being investigated in the Investigating Court Number 18 of Barcelona on foreign expenses of the 'process'.

This is Antoni Molons, former Secretary of Dissemination and Citizen Attention of the Department of the Presidency of the Generalitat, who was prosecuted for embezzlement and prevarication for his alleged intervention to hire the agencies in charge of making the announcements that were later publicized about the vote illegal, and for the campaign to register Catalans abroad.

Joaquim Nin, former secretary general of the Department of the Presidency, was accused of embezzlement, prevarication and disobedience for participating in the contracting of advertising campaigns -the judge mentioned an advertisement aimed at promoting the registration as voters of Catalans residing abroad-; buy web domains such as referendumcatalunya.cat; and because she "had knowledge" of the processes for adjudication and acquisition of material for 1-O.

Jaume Clotet, former General Director of Communication, was prosecuted for embezzlement for his alleged involvement in the purchase of said domains and, specifically, because he authorized the payment of an invoice issued for the design of the pactepelreferendum.cat website.

Josep Ginesta, former Secretary General of Labour, Social Affairs and Family, was also prosecuted for embezzlement for his alleged role in recruiting volunteers for 1-O and for his "relevant participation" in "the creation, development and implementation of the pactepelreferendum.cat website" and in documents such as a "preliminary project for the creation of the Catalan social protection agency".

Others investigated for embezzlement in this case are David Palanques and David Franco, former heads of the ICT area of ​​the Department of Labour, Social Affairs and Family; Josué Sallent, former director of Strategy and Innovation at the CTTI; and Xavier Puig, former head of the ICT area of ​​Foreign Action, Institutional Relations and Transparency; whom the judicial investigation links to the same activities as Ginesta.

Francesc Sutrías, former general director of Heritage, was prosecuted for embezzlement and disobedience for his alleged participation in the contracts and invoices with Unipost to move the 1-O material; "to guarantee the presence of international observers"; and to give instructions on how to act on the day of the illegal consultation.

Aleix Villatoro, former Secretary General of the Department of Institutional Affairs and Relations and Foreign Affairs and Transparency, was prosecuted for embezzlement, prevarication, disobedience and disclosure of secrets for his alleged involvement in contracting the Hague Center for Strategic Studies and in preparing the census for 1-O.

The judge also pointed to Amadeu Altafaj, former director of the Government's delegation to the EU, for embezzlement and prevarication for a report where he proposed hiring an advisory service to "make known the democratic will of the people of Catalonia to decide their future " , and for his alleged intervention in the contracting and payment of The Hague Center.

In the case of Albert Royo, former secretary general of the Catalonia Mon-consell Board of Public Diplomacy of Catalonia, he was prosecuted for embezzlement and document falsification for "various payments for plane tickets and accommodation on behalf of international observers" and "' experts' hired to analyze the political context" in which the 1-O took place.

Rosa María Rodríguez Curto, former general director of the T-Systems Service, was also prosecuted for embezzlement because "she participated in the implementation of the modifications that were requested by the Generalitat in the application of the Registry of Catalans Abroad" .

In addition, Rosa Vidal, former General Comptroller of the Generalitat, was prosecuted by the judge for embezzlement, disobedience and document falsification because "she had full knowledge of all the contracts and payments and that they were destined for preparatory acts for the referendum."

On the other hand, the administrator of the newspaper 'El Vallenc' Francesc Fabregas was prosecuted for embezzlement and disobedience for allegedly commissioning the printing of the documents 'Self-determination Referendum of Catalonia 2017' and 'Numbered list of voters'.

And the former general director of Unipost Pablo Raventós because "he hid from the Civil Guard, when expressly asked, that he had received an order from the Generalitat related to the referendum" illegal.