Spanish prosecutor to file lawsuit for ‘rebellion’ against Catalan president if independence is declared

The Spanish prosecutor is preparing a lawsuit for “rebellion” against the Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, in the event that independence is declared in the Catalan Parliament in the coming days, as was discovered Saturday morning. The crime of rebellion carries a prison sentence of up to 30 years. According to the prosecutor, the lawsuit  is almost complete already. Indeed, the lawsuit could not only be towards President Puigdemont, but also to his ministers or even the members of the Parliament bureau, in the eventuality they allow such declaration make it into the plenary session.

Reason behind the activation of article 155

At the same time, the Spanish government made known the motives behind the activation of article 155 of the Constitution. Rajoy's cabinet met extraordinarily on Saturday morning to agree on the specific measures to execute this article, which allows Madrid to suspend Catalonia's self-rule. In a 12-pages document, the cabinet argues that it intends to take direct control of the Catalan institutions to "guarantee rights" rather than "restrict freedoms."

According to the document, the Spanish governments aims to "reinstate constitutional legality, guarantee institutional neutrality, maintain social welfare and economic growth and protect the freedom and rights of all Catalans."

The text also states that it is "essential" to protect "freedom, security and plurality" in Catalonia. The document made public by the Spanish executive claims that the independence roadmap led by the Catalan government is “a serious risk to the general interest.” Besides, it states that Barcelona has been acting with “rebel, systematic and conscious disobedience.” “The secessionist ambitions are already motivating a serious deterioration of the social welfare and economic in Catalonia,” the text also reads.