Deposed officials to appear in court about international observers in referendum
Former Catalan representative to the EU and secretary general of Diplocat council under investigation
The judicial investigation for the October 1 independence referendum preparations is moving forward. Some 30 Catalan officials are being investigated for their roles in the run-up of the vote, and this list was extended on Wednesday with two more names added to it: Amadeu Altafaj, the former Catalan government representative to the EU, and Albert Royo, the former secretary general of the Diplocat public diplomacy council. Both of them were removed from their posts when the Spanish government stripped Catalonia of its self-rule last October. They have both been summoned to appear in court on June 6 regarding the international observer missions which oversaw the vote.
The judge is investigating both officials after having allegedly found evidence of two transfers adding up to 120,000 euros supposedly ordered by Altafaj to 'The Hague Center for Strategic Studies'. This center sent a team of observers led by Daan W. Everts which published its findings soon after the vote. The Spanish government closed Diplocat last month, and while it did not dissolve the Catalan delegation in Brussels, Altafaj was dismissed last October.
More than 60 individuals investigated
Both Altafaj and Rojo are only two of the some 30 individuals being investigated for the referendum preparations by a local Barcelona court. Yet apart from this group, the Spanish Supreme Court is also investigating –and has already prosecuted– the 25 highest-ranking officials in Catalonia, including Puigdemont’s cabinet members. Spain’s National Court is also in charge of another case involving the Catalan police leadership during the October 1 referendum.