Borràs says declaration of independence ‘held no legal consequences’

Former Catalan public administration minister Meritxell Borràs says declaration of independence was a "political expression" but "held no legal consequences" during her examination on Wednesday evening.

Polling stations “didn’t cost a cent” to citizens

"Our absolute majority gave us mandate" for independence roadmap, said the ex-official speaking at the Spanish Supreme Court, in a testimony in which she also accused the country’s Constitutional Court of being “politicized.”

Like her colleagues, the prosecuted leader insisted the Spanish government “did not want” to dialogue, but nonetheless “there was a will from the Catalan government to reach an agreement.”

Borràs also insisted that her department “didn't use a single euro to fund the referendum,” adding that she “doesn’t think any of [her] colleague did” either. Furthermore argued Borràs, polling stations "didn't cost a cent" to citizens. “I was not in charge of [these] premises," added the former official.

33 days in prison

Catalonia’s public administration minister during the independence referendum, Meritxell Borràs quit politics after spending 33 days in prison, thus abandoning a career spanning more than 20 years.

Summoned to court last March, she was allowed to walk free while most of her colleagues were again incarcerated.

She is the seventh member of the cabinet led by the then-president Carles Puigdemont to give evidence in the proceedings, after Oriol Junqueras and Joaquim Forn (last Thursday), Jordi Turull and Raül Romeva (on Tuesday), and Josep Rull and Dolors Bassa (Wednesday).