Former Catalan Minister Francesc Homs investigated for organising the 9-N symbolic consultation

Barcelona (CNA).- Spain’s Supreme Court has opened an inquiry against former Catalan President Artur Mas’ right-hand man and now Catalan coalition ‘Democràcia i Llibertat’ leader in the Spanish Parliament, Francesc Homs. The Court accuses him of disobedience, perversion of justice and misappropriation of public funds for co-organising the 9-N symbolic vote on independence in 2014. Homs lamented the “low democratic quality” of the Spanish State and assured that he will testify before the court “carrying the pro-independence flag”. Last October, former Catalan President Artur Mas, former Vice-President Joana Ortega and former Catalan Minister of Education Irene Rigau were also summonsed in relation to the celebration of the non-binding 9-N consultation.

“I will testify carrying the pro-independence flag”, stated Homs this Thursday in a radio interview on Rac1, shortly after being informed that he will also be investigated for helping to organise the 9-N symbolic vote. The former Catalan Minister for the Presidency described the whole case as “political” and lamented “the low democratic quality” of the Spanish State. "What sort of message is this to the international community?” he asked rhetorically. “By following this path we will finish our process much sooner than some people may have thought, because there is no way we can explain to the world that a democratic state aims to imprison somebody for putting out the ballot boxes”, he insisted. Thus, “the higher the charges, the quicker and the greater Catalonia’s freedom will be”.

Homs, who is currently the leader of Catalan coalition ‘Democràcia i Llibertat’ in the Spanish Parliament, assured that he is “not afraid” of going to jail as he is “very convinced” about what he did on the 9-N in 2014, and assured that he is “willing to fight back against this atrocity”.

Homs voluntarily testified before the Court in March

Last March, Homs voluntarily testified to Catalonia’s Supreme Court (TSJC) in relation to the case. Back then, he already pointed out that his investigation for co-organising the 9-N symbolic vote, which may be referred to the Supreme Court, coincided with his responsibility as head of Catalan coalition ‘Democràcia i Llibertat’ in the Spanish Parliament and the ongoing negotiations in Madrid to form government. Therefore, he stated that “60% or 70%” of the appeal presented responded to “political” intentions.

Initially, Homs had to appear before the Supreme Court for having signed a letter which authorised the company T-Systems, which provided the computers used during the symbolic vote, to move on and continue with the requested tasks, as the TC’s suspension didn’t affect the organisation of the vote. Homs admitted his responsibility and authorship of the letter but assured that the suspension of the participative process by the Spanish Constitutional Court (TC) on the 4^th of November, five days before the vote took place, was “ambiguous” and, therefore, neither him nor any of the members of the government at that time can be accused of having disobeyed the suspension.

This Thursday the accusations of disobedience, perversion of justice and misappropriation of public funds have been added to the inquiry. These are the same charges for which former Catalan President Artur Mas, former Vice-President Joana Ortega and former Catalan Minister of Education Irene Rigau were also summonsed last October.

Mas, Rigau and Ortega inquiry back to the TSJC

Spain’s Supreme Court also announced that the ongoing investigation into former Catalan President Artur Mas, former Vice-President Joana Ortega and former Catalan Minister of Education Irene Rigau for authorising and co-organising the 9-N symbolic vote will be conducted by Catalonia’s Supreme Court (TSJC), the body which initially summonsed them.