Spain in crisis: All Catalan officials arrested over referendum are charged

The judge has charged them with a number of offences including misappropriation of funds, breach of official duty and disobedience.

The officials have now been released on bail.

They have all been forced to attend the court once a week in an attempt to prevent them from taking part in the anticipated independence referendum which has been called for October 1.

Madrid is continuing to exert pressure on Catalonia not to hold the referendum with reports coming out of Barcelona that indicate that Madrid is attempting to take control of the Catalan police known as Mossos.

After a number of raids on government offices in Barcelona on Wednesday a total of 15 people were arrested as the Guardia Civil seized posters, pamphlets and material relating to the vote.

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The action triggered thousands of protestors to take to the streets to demonstrate over the detention of the officials who claim they were exercising their democratic rights.

On Wednesday, some 40,000 people protested in front of the Catalan government Department of Economy as the building was being raided by the Spanish police.

The highest-ranking official to be charged is the former secretary general of the ministry of economy, Josep Maria Jové. He stepped down after the Spanish Constitutional Court fined him €12,000 a day.

On Thursday the Catalan President Carles Puigdemont called on the European Commission to intervene in the worsening relations between Madrid and Barcelona.

Mr Puigdemont said: “European values, civil rights, freedom of speech, freedom of information and freedom of assembly are being violated by Spain’s central Government.

“It’s a situation that harks back to the dark past of this country, when democracy was not a part of the Spanish dictionary. What is happening here in Catalonia would not happen anywhere else in the European Union.

“Instead of engaging in discourse, the Spanish Government has opted for police and judges, taking us beyond the limits of a respectable democracy.

“The EU itself is built on these values and is committed to guaranteeing the rights proclaimed in the charter and in the EU treaties. 

“As an EU member state, Spain should respect that. If not, it is the European commission’s duty to intervene.”

But the EU remains cautious to step into the escalating situation. 

European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said last week: “We are attached to the respect of the Spanish constitution, as of all member states’ constitutions”.

While an EU executive spokesman said “all questions can be addressed within the conditional order”. 

Despite the worsening relations Catalan officials have repeated their claims that the referendum will take place at the start of next month.

The UK Foreign Office has also remained on the fence with a spokeswoman telling Express.co.uk: “The UK strongly supports the rule of law and remains clear that questions related to the issue of Catalan independence are a matter for the Government and people of Spain, and should be resolved within the proper constitutional and legal channels.”


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