Catalan separatists in court
Court procedure against members of former regional government accused of rebellion set to start next Tuesday (February 12)
THE MUCH-awaited trial of the 10 members of the former Catalan government and activists accused of rebellion and misuse of public funds for the illegal referendum and unilateral independence call from Spain in October 2017 - is set to begin on Tuesday (February 12).
Former vice-president of the Catalan government Oriol Junqueras will sit in the dock alongside former regional councillors Jordi Turull, Joaquim Forn, Raül Romeva, Josep Rull, Dolors Bassa, Meritxell Borràs and Carles Mundó. Also in court are the presidents of action groups Òmnium y ANC, Jordi Cuixart and Jordi Sànchez respectively.
Among the witnesses to be summoned during the case are former PM Mariano Rajoy, his deputy Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría and ex-tax office minister Cristobal Montoro. Former Catalan president Artur Mas and current Basque regional president Iñigo Urkullu will also be called upon.
Budget approval jeopardised
The trial has an immediate effect on national government, as the Catalan nationalist MPs votes in Parliament are necessary for the PSOE government to approve the 2019 budget that will begin also its debate and approval session on Tuesday.
On Monday, both nationalist parties (PdeCat and ERC) announced they would present a motion against the entire budget - effectively signalling their opposition to the accounts.
Both parties have openly stated they will only change their line of action if the public prosecutor drops all accusations against their colleagues on trial next week and opens talks regarding the independency bid.
ERC has even given PM Pedro Sánchez an ultimatum to sort it out by February 12 when both the budget debate and the trial begin.
The 2019 budget outlined by the PSOE is most favourable to Cataluña, and ministers have argued that the nationalists will have a hard time explaining to their voters why they oppose extra funds only on the grounds of 'defending their friends'.
In a TV interview on Tuesday, tax minister María Jesus Montero stated the government is expecting a last-minute uturn by both parties before the initial budget vote takes place on February 14.
Parties have until today (Friday 8) to file motions against the budget, but they can be withdrawn right up until the last minutes before they are voted on.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday the government came under fire from all other national parties including left-wing Podemos for agreeing to have an 'rapporteur' in the negotiations between central government and the Catalan regional government.
Critics claim this is the same as having an international mediator and gives the separatists the recognition they demanded - and placing the Catalan government on par with the Spanish national one.
They accused Pedro Sánchez of betraying Spanish justice and paying any price to get the budget approved.
PP, Ciudadanos and Vox have called a huge demonstration in Madrid on Sunday under the slogan: "For a united Spain, elections now!"
Several members of Sr Sánchez's own PSOE party have criticised the mediator idea and have called for an internal party meeting to voice their opinion.