Opposition 'indignant' over Junqueras' testimony in Supreme Court

 

Day three of the independence trial in the Supreme Court saw former vice president Oriol Junqueras denying any wrongdoing in organizing the 2017 referendum, a claim that angered the Ciutadans (Cs) opposition party, who accused him of causing "indignation and pain." 

Cs spokesperson, Carlos Carrizosa, rejected Junqueras' testimony, accusing him of "dividing Catalan society" and "denigrating its institutions." Carrizosa said, "we will not accept lessons on democracy from someone who tried to overturn it."

The current vice president, Pere Aragonès, had a different take on Junqueras' words, describing him as "stronger" and with his ideals "clearer than ever." "We will never give up on moving ahead with the political program for which the public voted us in," he added.

Aragonès echoed Junqueras' claim that a negotiated political solution was required rather than prosecutions. "Only dialogue can resolve the problems," said the vice president, who added: "We will always defend the principles of self-determination and the path of dialogue."

As for Vidal Aragonès of the far-left, pro-independence CUP party, he told the press that what Junqueras explained in court is "what we Catalans already knew," which is that the political conflict "has always been carried out without violence and in peace."

External affairs minister, Alfred Bosch, also commented on Junqueras' appearance, backing his denial of violence during the referendum. Bosch said it is "obvious" there was no violence from "the organizers or the voters" with the "only" violence coming from "the Spanish police." 

Interior minister backs predecessor

In the afternoon it was the turn of former interior minister, Joaquim Forn, to give evidence in court. The current interior minister, Miquel Buch, said his predecessor had exposed "the false narrative put forward in the accusations against the Catalan government."