Unionist parties criticize security agreements between Catalonia and Spain

The results of the Security Summit held between the Catalan and Spanish governments on Thursday have been met with criticism by some unionist parties.

One of the main agreements reached between the Catalan and Spanish executives during the meeting concerned the public display of yellow ribbons in support of jailed and exiled political leaders.

"A trap"

Spain "has fallen into a trap" set by president Quim Torra, said the leader of the People's Party in Catalonia, Xavier García Albiol. He lambasted the Sánchez administration for its willingness to "kneel" before the pro-independence forces in order to remain in power.

Albiol, whose party has four seats in the chamber, called it a "humiliation" for the state to put in the same boat "those who occupy public spaces with the ribbons and those trying to defend against the invasion by removing them."

The leader of the Ciutadans opposition party in Catalonia, Inés Arrimadas, is also against the move. She was critical of Spain's interior minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, for stating that the Catalan government is "loyal" to the Spanish administration.

Meanwhile, Spain will deploy 600 police officers in Catalonia in the run-up to the country's National Day on September 11 and the first year anniversary of the October 1 referendum, when pro-independence supporters are expected to demonstrate on the streets in large numbers.

Grande-Marlaska said people should not be "alarmed" by the operation, and pointed out that around 2,000 officers are mobilized whenever there is a big football match.

"Absolute disloyalty"

In a radio interview, Catalonia's interior minister, Miquel Buch, said that should the Spanish officers deployed to Catalonia take over everyday tasks related to public security and public order, it would be considered a case of "absolute disloyalty."

However, Buch also insisted that if the Spanish authorities overstep their powers in Catalonia, the government "will deal with it and condemn it wherever necessary."

Last September, Spain's former government sent up to 6,000 police officers to Catalonia in order to prevent the vote on independence from taking place.

The operation cost 87 million euros, and more than 1,000 people were injured at polling places due to Spanish police violence, which sparked outrage in the pro-independence bloc.

Catalan police controversy

The role of the Catalan police, the Mossos d'Esquadra, during last year's independence referendum was also put in the spotlight when the former Spanish government accused the force of not doing enough to stop the vote.

In fact, the former Mossos police chief, Josep Lluís Trapero, is being prosecuted for sedition in the Spanish National Court, and was accused at the time of aiding the vote by not ordering a sufficient response from his officers.

After imposing direct rule in Catalonia, the Mariano Rajoy executive in power at the time dismissed Trapero.  Just over a week after the referendum, the Mossos also lost their exclusive powers in the Palace of Justice, and had to share security duties with Spanish police.