The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Ovations for exiled Catalan minister
Exiled Catalan minster Clara Ponsati was cheered by SNP activists when she said referendums can never be illegal in a democracy, writes Gareth Mcpherson.
The St Andrews professor is facing extradition to Spain over her role in an unsanctioned independence vote in Catalonia in October.
She refuted a claim from Nationalist MP Joanna Cherry that the vote was unlawful during a fringe event at the SNP conference.
Prof Ponsati is wanted by the Spanish authorities on charges of rebellion and misuse of public funds.
The St Andrews University economics professor is back in court tomorrow for a preliminary appearance before the full extradition hearing from July 30, which is expected to last more than three weeks.
She told the Young Scots for Independence event on Saturday that the vote was constitutional and pointed the finger at the Spanish Government for breaking the law.
“All along there was a demand for an agreement on a referendum and the Spanish authorities have always chosen to ignore this demand,” she said. “It was the duty of a Catalan Government that had a mandate for independence to organise a referendum. The voters have given us a mandate. We were obliged to do it.
“Besides it’s not illegal, we have done nothing illegal,” she said.
“The Spanish authorities have manipulated the judiciary, have manipulated the reading of the law, have manipulated the facts.”
She added: “What is illegal is what the judiciary is doing in Spain right now.”
Prof Ponsati received repeated standing ovations at the fringe event and when she appeared on the stage in the main conference hall ahead of Nicola Sturgeon’s keynote speech.
The Fife academic told the conference: “I am really overwhelmed by the affection and the support I have received since I put my feet back in Scottish territory.”