Catalan parliament greenlights government’s €10 million fund covering officials’ fines

Council of Statutory Guarantees unanimously endorsed the move, paving way for the vote in the chamber

Lawmakers in the Catalan parliament during a vote in the chamber (by Eli Don)
Lawmakers in the Catalan parliament during a vote in the chamber (by Eli Don) / ACN

ACN | Barcelona

July 30, 2021 01:00 PM

The Catalan parliament has approved the creation of the government’s €10 million risk fund to cover fines given to former officials, such as those handed down by Spain’s Court of Auditors recently

The decree passed with votes in favour from the pro-independence activists Esquerra Republicana, Junts per Catalunya, and CUP, with the abstention of En Comú Podem and the Socialists, while Vox, Ciudadanos and the People’s Party voted against. 

The vote took place late on Thursday evening as it was necessary to wait for the non-binding report from the Council of Statutory Guarantees on the matter, which unanimously endorsed the creation of the risk fund.

Catalonia’s economy minister, Jaume Giró, defended the decree to lawmakers in parliament, stating they have put forward an "impeccable" and "legally well forged" text. 

“It has been fully endorsed, dispelling doubts about its legality that had been intentionally spread,” he stressed.

Giró also asked that it be processed as a bill and that modifications recommended by the Council of Statutory Guarantees be introduced, and celebrated that the approval of the decree will support the "presumption of innocence" of former officials affected. 

The Court of Auditors had previously expressed "doubts" over the legality of the Catalan Public Finance Institue guaranteeing the €5.4 million fine given to former officials for illicitly spending public money on the independence campaign abroad, and prosecutors will investigate the matter after accepting a complaint by the unionist Ciudadanos party.