Public Prosecutor denies Spanish Government pressure over 9-N trial

Barcelona (CNA).- Catalonia’s Public Prosecutor, Emilio Sánchez-Ulled, commented on the accusation of judicialisation of politics which especially emerged this week, coinciding with the 9-N trial over the symbolic vote on independence, which took place in 2014. “I haven’t received any order [from the Spanish Government], believe it or not”, stated Sánchez-Ulled this Friday, during the last session of the trial, and added that he “wouldn’t have consented to it”. “This trial is also democracy because democracy includes many more things than those explained here”, he continued and admitted feeling “obliged” to give explanations to the citizens, due to “the expectation” that the 9-N trial has provoked. “It is enough of what has been organised around this” stated Sánchez-Ulled and insisted that the Barcelona’s High Court is “extremely independent”.

Sánchez-Ulled explained that former Attorney General, Consuelo Madrigal, ordered him to carry out “a rigorous technical assessment” of the 9-N case and added that the case was “especially sensitive”. “The court is democratic whether it condemns or absolves” stated the Public Prosecutor and warned that “Democracy can’t be opposed to the Rule of Law; this is extremely dangerous”.

The Public Prosecutor also described the 9-N trial as “disturbing” and lamented that at some points it looked like “a battle between democrats and shysters”.

He also referred to the “institutional and political” implication of the trial and emphasised that the Spanish Constitution establishes that the Public Prosecutor doesn’t depend on the Spanish Government. In this sense, he denied having received any order nor indication from the Spanish executive.