Unionist Cs files lawsuit for alleged hiring of US lobby to get supports for independence

Senior party MP believes this is evidence of rebellion and misuse of funds crimes

Cs spokesperson Carlos Carrizosa speaks to the press at the prosecutor's office on October 31 2018 (by Roger Pi de Cabanyes)
Cs spokesperson Carlos Carrizosa speaks to the press at the prosecutor's office on October 31 2018 (by Roger Pi de Cabanyes) / ACN

ACN | Barcelona

October 31, 2018 04:30 PM

The main unionist party in Catalonia, Ciutadans, has filed a lawsuit against the former government for allegedly hiring a US lobby to get “the recognition of America for independence” last autumn.

A senior party MP, Carlos Carrizosa, announced this outside the office of the general Spanish office on Wednesday afternoon.

According to him, this is evidence for the crime of rebellion and of misuse of funds, as the cost of the contract was 65,000 euros.

Carrizosa attached to the lawsuit a supposed list of meetings, calls, and emails to some of the top US personalities including congresspeople, senators, the US Department of State, and the media, by the Catalan government through the firm SCR Government Relations Lobbying.

According to him, the lawsuit aims to “show that they took steps to make the declaration of independence on October 27 effective.”

Ciutadans also wants to strengthen the open case against the former Catalan government for rebellion and misuse of funds, whose trial is expected for early 2019.

Catalan delegations abroad

Carrizosa said that the lobby was hired to “support” the Catalan delegation in the US.

For him, it could be proven that such offices abroad “have been working for the coup d’état,” referring to the independence push.

Inasmuch, he said that putting an end to direct rule in the country was a mistake as right after Catalonia recovered its self-government, such offices were reopened.

Two of them have been inaugurated already, with some ten more being reopened in the coming months.