New Catalan president shows support for under-fire Mossos police after Puigdemont escape

New Catalan president Salvador Illa has shown his support for the under-fire Catalan police, the Mossos d'Esquadra, after visiting the body's headquarters in Sabadell on Wednesday.

The visit is Illa's first official public event since taking office.

The Socialist head of the executive and the Minister of Interior and Public Security, Núria Parlón, met with the chief commissioner, Eduard Sallent, as well as the director general of the Catalan police, Pere Ferrer, at the gates of the Egara complex.

Illa's visit is aimed at showing the executive's "support and recognition" for the force, according to government spokesperson Sílvia Paneque.

The act comes almost a week after the failed operation to arrest former president Carles Puigdemont, who returned to Catalonia last week on the day of the presidential investiture debate, only to leave the country again immediately afterwards. 

A warrant for Puigdemont's arrest is still in force, as the Supreme Court believes that his charges of misuse of public funds are not covered by the amnesty. 

Three Mossos d'Esquadra officers were arrested for allegedly collaborating with Puigdemont's escape last week.

Speaking in a press conference following the visit, Illa pledged to foster "mutual trust from the government towards the Mossos and from the Mossos towards the government."

Illa assured that the Mossos is a "good police force" but acknowledged that "things can always be done better."

The visit was made "private" without the media given access and was followed up by a brief three-minute statement without taking questions from journalists.

"Mutual trust"

The Catalan president hailed the Mossos d'Esquadra as one of the "most important" public services and are "an essential part of self-government."

On the other hand, he also outlined that "citizen security is everyone's right" and said that it must be "guaranteed throughout the territory."

"A new stage is beginning with the way of dealing with public safety," Illa remarked, adding they want to start "by listening to the needs and concerns of the Mossos before making decisions."

Illa also reaffirmed its commitment to expand the Mossos workforce to 22,000 officers by 2030.