Today, in the Spanish parliament, the pact between the Socialists (PSOE) and the ERC and Junts, Catalan separatist parties, will become a reality. The Junts party is led by Carles Puigdemont, who until recently was a fugitive from justice. The amnesty law—which grants total impunity for crimes committed during the Catalan independence process, such as sedition, street violence, and embezzlement—will be approved today. The only possible roadblock to this pact is that the separatists will withdraw their support if their amendments are not approved.
Last week, the PSOE again showed that it is willing to do anything to stay in power. Under pressure from the separatists, they added a new crime to the amnesty list: terrorism. With the usual brazenness, a government spokesmen explained that they were not referring to terrorism in which serious human-rights violations are committed, but to organised street agitation committed by activist groups like the Tsunami Democrátic and the CDR (Committees for the Defence of the Republic). At one point, the CDR tried to occupy El Prat airport and indirectly caused the death of one person.
In the opinion of the minister of justice, Félix Bolaños, this “is not terrorism.” With this amendment, the PSOE and its partners intended to stop a possible terrorism conviction by a judge of the National Court, Manuel García Castellón, against Carles Puigdemont for his involvement with the Tsunami Democrátic. However, the judge recently decided to extend the investigation for six months, since the evidence so far suggests that the separatist organisation was structured, hierarchical, and permanent. It seems that its essential purpose was to subvert the constitutional order and destabilise the state economically and politically.
According to the Guardia Civil’s investigations, Omnium Cultural, an association that promotes Catalonian heritage, and Carles Puigdemont may have participated in the creation of Tsunami Democrátic, something that has yet to be confirmed. For García Castellón, the serious injuries suffered by two policemen in altercations with the Tsunami are “incompatible with the right to life and physical integrity recognised in article 15 of the Constitution, and article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights.” In other words, they cannot be amnestied.
As if this were not enough, on Monday, January 29th, the investigation of another judicial front against Puigdemont was also extended for six months: the relationship between the Catalan separatist movement and the Kremlin. Judge Joaquín Aguirre, who is investigating the so-called Voloh case, wants to confirm that the separatists have contact with Russian agents. According to the investigation, Puigdemont met with an emissary from Putin on 26 October 2017, at the Casa dels Canonges, located at the headquarters of the Catalan government. At that meeting, Russia reportedly offered military and economic aid “in exchange for an independent Catalonia being a cryptocurrency Switzerland” (wiretaps confirm that Puigdemont’s entourage had developed “its own legislation on cryptocurrencies to suit Russian interests”). There were no troops, but there was money, and the judge believes he has found evidence of Russian funding for the independence movement and Puigdemont’s expenses in Waterloo. According to Aguirre, the Kremlim’s aim is to “destabilise the EU.”
Many dismiss this information as a fictional account more suited to an Ian Fleming novel. But it is impossible to deny the propaganda efforts of Russian state channels, such as Russia Today, in favour of Catalan separatism, or the relationship of Catalan separatist movements with the Donbas pro-independence movement, which is in the pay of the Kremlin.
And, of course, there is the support from politicians across the ideological spectrum who have subsequently been revealed as agents of the FSB, the Russian secret services. The latest case is that of Latvian MEP Tatjana Zdanoka, who belonged to the Greens/European Free Alliance group until April 2022. According to information leaked by The Insider, which has published many of her emails with FSB officials, the Latvian politician “has been a Russian intelligence asset since at least 2005.”
During these years, Zdanoka has been a loyal propagandist for separatist movements in Spain. For example, in 2013 she visited the Logroño prison with other MEPs to show her “support and solidarity” for Arnaldo Otegi, the general coordinator of EH Bildu—a pro-separatist, Basque nationalist party that supports Sánchez’s government—who was imprisoned for trying to rebuild the Batasuna party, which operated under the orders of the terrorist ETA group, only to be outlawed in 2003. Following the conviction of the leaders of the Catalan independence effort by the Supreme Court, Zdanoka carried out an intense campaign in Brussels in favour of the “Catalan political prisoners.” She was particularly supportive of ERC leader Oriol Junqueras, with whom she met after he was pardoned by the Socialist government. Zdanoka, who was against Latvian independence and in favour of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, is a staunch supporter of separatism in Spain. After the leaks revealing her true affiliation, it is much easier to understand why.
Aguirre’s investigation could uncover evidence for new charges against Puigdemont for the crimes of treason, crimes against the peace or independence of the state, and crimes related to national defence. These crimes are not covered by the amnesty law; the Junts party has requested that they be included. The reaction of the Socialist government to both cases has been to accuse the judges of ‘lawfare,’ demonstrating once again their absolute lack of respect for the independence of the judiciary. At the same time, the Socialists have indicated that they will not accept more amendments from Junts to shield the fugitive Puigdemont. However, the government’s statements are no guarantee; the Socialists have crossed all their red lines. Some say that if Puigdemont had murdered someone, Sánchez would be willing to give him a licence to kill. What is happening in Spain is like the plot of a novel, with unscrupulous villains, traitors, and spies. But it is a reality. It is time for many in Brussels and Madrid to realise this.
The Spy Who Loved Me
Pro-separatist unrest in Barcelona, 2019 / Shutterstock
Today, in the Spanish parliament, the pact between the Socialists (PSOE) and the ERC and Junts, Catalan separatist parties, will become a reality. The Junts party is led by Carles Puigdemont, who until recently was a fugitive from justice. The amnesty law—which grants total impunity for crimes committed during the Catalan independence process, such as sedition, street violence, and embezzlement—will be approved today. The only possible roadblock to this pact is that the separatists will withdraw their support if their amendments are not approved.
Last week, the PSOE again showed that it is willing to do anything to stay in power. Under pressure from the separatists, they added a new crime to the amnesty list: terrorism. With the usual brazenness, a government spokesmen explained that they were not referring to terrorism in which serious human-rights violations are committed, but to organised street agitation committed by activist groups like the Tsunami Democrátic and the CDR (Committees for the Defence of the Republic). At one point, the CDR tried to occupy El Prat airport and indirectly caused the death of one person.
In the opinion of the minister of justice, Félix Bolaños, this “is not terrorism.” With this amendment, the PSOE and its partners intended to stop a possible terrorism conviction by a judge of the National Court, Manuel García Castellón, against Carles Puigdemont for his involvement with the Tsunami Democrátic. However, the judge recently decided to extend the investigation for six months, since the evidence so far suggests that the separatist organisation was structured, hierarchical, and permanent. It seems that its essential purpose was to subvert the constitutional order and destabilise the state economically and politically.
According to the Guardia Civil’s investigations, Omnium Cultural, an association that promotes Catalonian heritage, and Carles Puigdemont may have participated in the creation of Tsunami Democrátic, something that has yet to be confirmed. For García Castellón, the serious injuries suffered by two policemen in altercations with the Tsunami are “incompatible with the right to life and physical integrity recognised in article 15 of the Constitution, and article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights.” In other words, they cannot be amnestied.
As if this were not enough, on Monday, January 29th, the investigation of another judicial front against Puigdemont was also extended for six months: the relationship between the Catalan separatist movement and the Kremlin. Judge Joaquín Aguirre, who is investigating the so-called Voloh case, wants to confirm that the separatists have contact with Russian agents. According to the investigation, Puigdemont met with an emissary from Putin on 26 October 2017, at the Casa dels Canonges, located at the headquarters of the Catalan government. At that meeting, Russia reportedly offered military and economic aid “in exchange for an independent Catalonia being a cryptocurrency Switzerland” (wiretaps confirm that Puigdemont’s entourage had developed “its own legislation on cryptocurrencies to suit Russian interests”). There were no troops, but there was money, and the judge believes he has found evidence of Russian funding for the independence movement and Puigdemont’s expenses in Waterloo. According to Aguirre, the Kremlim’s aim is to “destabilise the EU.”
Many dismiss this information as a fictional account more suited to an Ian Fleming novel. But it is impossible to deny the propaganda efforts of Russian state channels, such as Russia Today, in favour of Catalan separatism, or the relationship of Catalan separatist movements with the Donbas pro-independence movement, which is in the pay of the Kremlin.
And, of course, there is the support from politicians across the ideological spectrum who have subsequently been revealed as agents of the FSB, the Russian secret services. The latest case is that of Latvian MEP Tatjana Zdanoka, who belonged to the Greens/European Free Alliance group until April 2022. According to information leaked by The Insider, which has published many of her emails with FSB officials, the Latvian politician “has been a Russian intelligence asset since at least 2005.”
During these years, Zdanoka has been a loyal propagandist for separatist movements in Spain. For example, in 2013 she visited the Logroño prison with other MEPs to show her “support and solidarity” for Arnaldo Otegi, the general coordinator of EH Bildu—a pro-separatist, Basque nationalist party that supports Sánchez’s government—who was imprisoned for trying to rebuild the Batasuna party, which operated under the orders of the terrorist ETA group, only to be outlawed in 2003. Following the conviction of the leaders of the Catalan independence effort by the Supreme Court, Zdanoka carried out an intense campaign in Brussels in favour of the “Catalan political prisoners.” She was particularly supportive of ERC leader Oriol Junqueras, with whom she met after he was pardoned by the Socialist government. Zdanoka, who was against Latvian independence and in favour of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, is a staunch supporter of separatism in Spain. After the leaks revealing her true affiliation, it is much easier to understand why.
Aguirre’s investigation could uncover evidence for new charges against Puigdemont for the crimes of treason, crimes against the peace or independence of the state, and crimes related to national defence. These crimes are not covered by the amnesty law; the Junts party has requested that they be included. The reaction of the Socialist government to both cases has been to accuse the judges of ‘lawfare,’ demonstrating once again their absolute lack of respect for the independence of the judiciary. At the same time, the Socialists have indicated that they will not accept more amendments from Junts to shield the fugitive Puigdemont. However, the government’s statements are no guarantee; the Socialists have crossed all their red lines. Some say that if Puigdemont had murdered someone, Sánchez would be willing to give him a licence to kill. What is happening in Spain is like the plot of a novel, with unscrupulous villains, traitors, and spies. But it is a reality. It is time for many in Brussels and Madrid to realise this.
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