Opinió

Quim Torra

22.08.2014

Presidential threats

Men?ame
 

They’ve been running through the rumor mill and floating across the airwaves, but yesterday, the suspicions were confirmed: Luis María Ansón announced to the El Mundo newspaper that the Spanish secret service and the Spanish National Intelligence Centre are investigating President Mas. The reason is clear: Mas’ commitment to hold the consultation on Catalan independence. And the goal is even clearer: that Mas lose his nerve and ‘take down the sails of his secessionist ship. If he doesn’t do so, he will be facing a scandal of epic proportions, possibility in the next few weeks’. 


If anyone is familiar with the state’s murky workings, it’s Mr. Ansón. He’s completely at home in the grim cloak-and-dagger world of backroom politics. So we should take his comments at face value.


Our democratically elected President has always acted with the utmost commitment to democracy, carrying out the mandate of Parliament and the people who elected him. Yet he is now being indecorously investigated by Spain -- for political reasons.


It is unacceptable for the state we currently live in to investigate its own citizens for political reasons. Spanish politicians often speak of legality, but we should remind them that the rule of law also applies in Spain. If our leader is being investigated for political reasons, it’s not hard to imagine what might come next. Our very freedom is at stake.


The situation is critical. And everyone -- not just the Catalan government -- should be bringing this to the attention of the highest international bodies. Our MEPs in Strasbourg and the Catalan MPs in Madrid are obliged to blow the whistle on these actions. Mr. Duran i Lleida, who sits on the Spanish Congress’ Commission on Official Secrets (where Mr. Alfred Bosch was denied a seat), should immediately demand that this issue be investigated.


After all – do you want to live in a state that’s spying on you?

Men?ame
 

Editorial