The European Parliament asks to investigate the links of the Catalan independence movement with Russia and the interference in the 'procés'

This Thursday, the European Parliament demanded from “the competent judicial authorities” an investigation into the alleged links of the Catalan independence movement and the Government of the Generalitat – then led by Carles Puigdemont – with the Kremlin within the framework of the processes of 2017, and urges to verify whether there was Russian interference in this operation of secessionist challenge to the Spanish State. The resolution – approved by a very large majority, including popular and socialists – expresses the “deep concern” of the EU institution about the contacts of the Catalan independentists and the Russian Government, as well as about Russia’s “efforts to undermine European democracy.” ”. And he regrets “the attacks against judges who investigate any interference activity.”

The European Parliament demands that this alleged Russian intervention to try to destabilize certain regions of the EU be investigated “effectively.” And it also calls for an internal investigation, in the European Parliament itself, of Puigdemont – who fled Spain since 2017 and has been an MEP since 2019 – to find out if he has violated the MEPs' code of conduct. The resolution, much broader and which addresses other alleged scenarios of Russian interference in Europe (Slovakia, Germany, France…), arose from information about a Latvian MEP, suspected of being in the pay of Moscow. It also mentions other cases, such as the alleged relations of the extreme right with the Kremlin and the financing of parties, and proven disinformation campaigns; Furthermore, it demands “to address these attempts at Russian interference as a matter of extreme seriousness.”

The resolution, which is not binding, has been approved with 433 votes in favor, 56 against and 18 abstentions. The Popular Party and Ciudadanos have also introduced amendments that specifically mention that the Kremlin, according to journalistic information, was in contact with Puigdemont's entourage and with the former president; also that these people “are demanding an amnesty for their alleged crimes.” Points that have been advanced despite the votes against by the social democratic MEPs. The pro-independence MEPs Toni Comín, Clara Ponsatí and Jordi Solé have voted against. Puigdemont — who in 2021 supported a report that called for an investigation — was not and has not voted.

Puigdemont has responded to the resolution with a letter to the MEPs in which he charges against the Spanish justice system and claims to be a victim of persecution that also seeks to derail his agreements with the Government for the amnesty, and which he compares to the “theory of the conspiracy in the 11-M attacks in Madrid.” He also accuses the right of “dragging” the matter to the European Parliament. “In weeks, I have accumulated two of the most severely punished crimes in the Spanish penal code—terrorism and other treason—that in more than six years no one had noticed,” says the former Catalan president in the letter. “Six years in which they have not stopped watching me, spying on me and persecuting me, and they only realized that I am a terrorist and traitor in the country precisely a few weeks ago, coinciding with one of the most relevant political agreements that have been made.” produced since the death of Franco.” And he concludes: “There is another thing of which I am completely convinced. If my party had allowed the investiture of the PP candidate, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, or had prevented that of Pedro Sánchez, these spectacles would have been avoided. And we will also talk about this when it's time. As in the Russian plot, everything will be known.”

Now it will be the president of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, and her advisory committee who will decide whether to open this internal investigation into Puigdemont – which in the case of the Latvian MEP, Tatiana Zdanoka, is already underway – due to the so-called code of conduct. If it is determined that the Catalan MEP has violated the code, this may lead to a ban on carrying out parliamentary activities and representing the institution for a period of time or the loss of the right to allowances (more than 300 euros per day) for a maximum of 30 days. .

Disinformation “on a large scale” in Catalonia

The European Parliament speaks of “deep concern” about the “alleged relations between Catalan secessionists and the Russian Government” and also about the “large-scale disinformation campaigns that Russia has carried out in Catalonia”, as well as about the “number of meetings between the agents responsible for Russian interference with representatives of the independence movement.” If confirmed, the resolution says, “Russian interference in Catalonia would form part of a broader Russian strategy to promote internal destabilization and disunity in the EU.”

Already in 2022, a few days after Russia launched the invasion of Ukraine, collapsing along the way the entire European security architecture and also ties with the West, the European Parliament gave the green light to a report that called for a thorough investigation of the ties between Moscow and the Catalan independence movement. A text that already included this reference to the “close and regular contacts between Russian officials and representatives of a group of Catalan secessionists in Spain” since these have been part of Russia's strategy to “destabilize” democracy in the EU.

At that time, in addition to the judicial investigations (most of which ended up being archived), there were various investigative articles—some from EL PAÍS; another, cited in that report, from The New York Times— about the Kremlin's attempts to destabilize by taking advantage of the processes, just as he did before during the Brexit referendum in the United Kingdom. Now, the call for attention from the European Parliament comes a few months before the elections to the European Parliament (scheduled for June) in which many voices fear that the Kremlin will try to interfere, especially following its playbook with disinformation campaigns.

PSOE MEPs have supported the resolution following the position of their group, the Socialists and Democrats (S&D), according to socialist sources. They emphasize that the general text only makes an allusion, with the same language used in previous reports, to the alleged interference of the Kremlin taking advantage of the processesand that the entire European socialist group has voted against the amendments — which did expressly mention the alleged contacts between Kremlin agents and Puigdemont — considering that they were “an attempt by the right to exploit such a serious issue.”

A crime that is outside the amnesty

The resolution of the European Parliament comes when a judge from Barcelona has decided to extend the investigation of the voloh case about the alleged Russian plot processes, one of the judicial investigations that are putting in check the amnesty law agreed by the Government of Pedro Sánchez and the pro-independence parties. This bill, still being processed, leaves out “crimes of treason” and crimes against the peace of the State or crimes that affect “the financial interests of the European Union.”

Judge Joaquín Aguirre investigates the former head of international relations at Convergència Víctor Terradellas; to the head of the office of the former president Carles Puigdemont, Josep Lluís Alay; and the computer scientist Jaume Cabaní for his alleged meetings and contac
ts with the Kremlin, and sees indications that these contacts involved maneuvers to alter the territorial unity of Spain and to seek alliances with Russia.

Last Tuesday, the vice president of the European Commission for the protection of the European way of life, Margaritis Schinás, warned about Russia's attempts to influence the EU and weaken democracy, and already demanded that the European Parliament investigate whether it has agents of influence Russian infiltrators. Schinás highlighted that Russia amplified the pro-Brexit messages and influenced the campaign for the United Kingdom to leave the EU, and also mentioned the “regular contacts and organized visits” of Catalan independence supporters with Russian officials during the processes Catalan. “What we have to see is who did what and under what conditions playing Russia's game,” Schinás launched, on one of the few occasions in which Brussels has mentioned the case.

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