Carles Puigdemont’s Lawyer Denounces a Deliberate Government Strategy
Gonzalo Boye, Carles Puigdemont’s lawyer, has expressed his concern about what he considers an intentional maneuver by the Government to delay the entry into force of the amnesty law for the process. This law was definitively approved in the Congress of Deputies and now awaits the signature of King Felipe VI for its publication in the Official State Gazette (BOE) and its subsequent application by the judges. Boye criticizes the decision of Pedro Sánchez’s Executive not to quickly bring the law to the king for sanction, alleging that they are leaving it in a drawer, which, according to him, could have electoral motivations due to the upcoming European elections and the constitution of the new Parliament of Catalonia emerged from 12-M.
The Government and the Signing of the Law
Boye has pointed out that King Felipe VI, who is on an official trip to El Salvador, could sign the law electronically from there, but the Government has chosen not to send it for approval due to electoral interests. Blaming the Government, particularly the PSOE, for the delay in the entry into force of the law, Boye has accused the state Executive of carrying out actions that border on illegality. According to him, it is up to the Government, specifically the Ministry of the Presidency headed by Félix Bolaños, to take the law for signature, and the king will sign it as soon as it is taken to him.
Opinions on Delay
Oriol Junqueras’ lawyer, Andreu Van den Eynde, has also expressed his disbelief at the possibility of the law appearing in the BOE after the European elections, calling it very unlikely and stating that it should be published immediately.
Return of Carles Puigdemont
Boye has reiterated that Carles Puigdemont will return to Catalonia in the context of a possible investiture attempt when the new Parliament of Catalonia that emerged from 12-M is formed, regardless of the intention of the judges and prosecutors who are handling his case for the Procés. According to the lawyer, Puigdemont’s return is not conditional on the application of the amnesty, but on the investiture, and may occur from the entry into force of the amnesty law when it is published in the BOE.
Application of Amnesty by Judges
Boye has raised the question of whether Judge Pablo Llarena, instructor of the case against Puigdemont, will intend to apply the amnesty, arguing that it is time for the Spanish judiciary to stop making an international fool of itself if an amnesty law is published. which has been spread in the world press as an achievement of Puigdemont, and then is not applied. According to him, this would leave the Spanish judiciary in a compromised position vis-à-vis its European counterparts.
