Junqueras Accuses PSOE and PP of Undemocratic Spying on Political Leaders
ERC President Oriol Junqueras calls out former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy as the mastermind behind the Operation Catalonia investigation during a congressional hearing.
Oriol Junqueras, the leader of the Catalan Republican Left (ERC) and former Vice President of the Generalitat de Catalunya, has publicly accused both the Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) and the People's Party (PP) of conducting espionage against political leaders in violation of democratic principles.
His remarks came ahead of his testimony before the Commission of Inquiry into Operation Catalonia at the Congress of Deputies.
Junqueras condemned the actions of the Spanish state and the governments led by both the PSOE and PP for systematically disregarding the established criteria by the Venice Commission concerning espionage.
He expressed concern that the PSOE continues to operate outside democratic criteria regarding issues of surveillance and police infiltrations into social movements.
Before his appearance before the commission, Junqueras stated, "We are accustomed to the PSOE in the areas of espionage and police infiltrations acting outside democratic criteria," adding that both parties fail to meet the necessary conditions for informing individuals who have been investigated.
During his testimony, Junqueras indicated that he was not present to seek apologies from former Barcelona Mayor Xavier Trias but rather to demand adherence to general legal principles, asserting that Spanish justice has systematically failed to uphold these principles.
He specifically identified former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy as the "brain" behind Operation Catalonia and suggested that if Rajoy were not involved, it would be "very strange." Junqueras articulated confidence that Rajoy endorsed Operation Catalonia and that then-Interior Minister Jorge Fernández Díaz was directed to fabricate evidence against pro-independence politicians.
Junqueras reflected that all efforts by the former government to fabricate or invented accusations against ERC were ultimately unproductive, stating, "They did everything they could because they were aware our party was a key player in that democratic process towards independence."
He recalled the complexity of the political landscape following the general elections in April 2019, where ERC managed to secure 15 seats in Congress despite what he termed "unrelenting repression." Junqueras emphasized that the government had never succeeded in defeating them at the polls, asserting that their inability to win led to the use of "anti-democratic tools" such as disqualifications.
"Democracies do not imprison political rivals.
It is evident that when necessary, they have not hesitated to bypass democratic procedures with illegal spying that does not meet the conditions urged by the Venice Commission," he remarked.
In response to questions from socialist deputy Manuel Arribas, Junqueras stated that the key figure behind Operation Catalonia was Jorge Fernández Díaz, serving at the behest of former Prime Minister Rajoy.
He concluded that a Prime Minister would not allow such decisions to be made without his consent.
His remarks came ahead of his testimony before the Commission of Inquiry into Operation Catalonia at the Congress of Deputies.
Junqueras condemned the actions of the Spanish state and the governments led by both the PSOE and PP for systematically disregarding the established criteria by the Venice Commission concerning espionage.
He expressed concern that the PSOE continues to operate outside democratic criteria regarding issues of surveillance and police infiltrations into social movements.
Before his appearance before the commission, Junqueras stated, "We are accustomed to the PSOE in the areas of espionage and police infiltrations acting outside democratic criteria," adding that both parties fail to meet the necessary conditions for informing individuals who have been investigated.
During his testimony, Junqueras indicated that he was not present to seek apologies from former Barcelona Mayor Xavier Trias but rather to demand adherence to general legal principles, asserting that Spanish justice has systematically failed to uphold these principles.
He specifically identified former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy as the "brain" behind Operation Catalonia and suggested that if Rajoy were not involved, it would be "very strange." Junqueras articulated confidence that Rajoy endorsed Operation Catalonia and that then-Interior Minister Jorge Fernández Díaz was directed to fabricate evidence against pro-independence politicians.
Junqueras reflected that all efforts by the former government to fabricate or invented accusations against ERC were ultimately unproductive, stating, "They did everything they could because they were aware our party was a key player in that democratic process towards independence."
He recalled the complexity of the political landscape following the general elections in April 2019, where ERC managed to secure 15 seats in Congress despite what he termed "unrelenting repression." Junqueras emphasized that the government had never succeeded in defeating them at the polls, asserting that their inability to win led to the use of "anti-democratic tools" such as disqualifications.
"Democracies do not imprison political rivals.
It is evident that when necessary, they have not hesitated to bypass democratic procedures with illegal spying that does not meet the conditions urged by the Venice Commission," he remarked.
In response to questions from socialist deputy Manuel Arribas, Junqueras stated that the key figure behind Operation Catalonia was Jorge Fernández Díaz, serving at the behest of former Prime Minister Rajoy.
He concluded that a Prime Minister would not allow such decisions to be made without his consent.
Translation:
Translated by AI
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