Supreme Court sentence confirms "sinking" of separatist political project - Sanchez

Record ID: 1436666

  • Title: Supreme Court sentence confirms "sinking" of separatist political project - Sanchez
  • Date: 14th October 2019
  • Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (OCTOBER 14, 2019) (REUTERS) SPANISH ACTING PRIME MINISTER PEDRO SANCHEZ ENTERING NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM AND STANDING BEFORE PODIUM (SOUNDBITE) (English) SPANISH ACTING PRIME MINISTER PEDRO SANCHEZ, SAYING: "The government of Spain respects and abides by the decision of the Spanish Supreme Court which puts an end to a judicial procedure meeting all the requirements of due process and transparency and separation of powers. Nobody is above the law, nobody is above the law. In a democracy like Spain's nobody is subject to trial for his or her ideas or politics, but rather for criminal conduct as provided by the law." AUDIENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) SPANISH ACTING PRIME MINISTER PEDRO SANCHEZ, SAYING: "The government of Spain will work in the coming days to guarantee public order and protect our democratic laws as it has always done, responding proportionally to any violations of the law and building on the unity of all political parties engaged in the defense of our constitution." AUDIENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) SPANISH ACTING PRIME MINISTER PEDRO SANCHEZ, SAYING: "Catalonia must enter into a dialogue with Catalonia. The Catalan government and parliament must govern for all Catalan, not just a minority. Today's decision confirms the defeat of a movement that failed to gain internal support and international recognition. Following the Supreme Court decision, we need to turn the page and open a new chapter based on peaceful coexistence in Catalonia, to dialogue within the boundries of the law and the Spanish Constitution." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SPANISH ACTING PRIME MINISTER PEDRO SANCHEZ, SAYING: "This ruling puts an end to a judicial process which has been carried out, and I want to underscore this, with all the guarantees and absolute transparency, and in line with the rule of law of a democratic and social country like Spain, abidance means carrying it out. I repeat, it means its complete fulfilment." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SPANISH ACTING PRIME MINISTER PEDRO SANCHEZ, SAYING: "In the coming days, the Spanish government which counts on all the attributions bestowed on it by the law, and I want to remind you of this, will guarantee coexistence, security and the respect for democratic legality. We will do this, as we have always said, with democratic firmness, proportionality and from the basis of unity." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SPANISH ACTING PRIME MINISTER PEDRO SANCHEZ, SAYING: "Today an exemplary judicial process has concluded but, at the same time, today confirms the sinking of a political project that has failed in its attempt to obtain internal support and international recognition, leaving behind pain and confrontation, the fracturing of coexistence in Catalonia. From today, if we leave behind extremism, we can begin a new era where the return to harmony is one of the main pillars of Catalonia." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS SANCHEZ LEAVING
  • Embargoed: 28th October 2019 12:08
  • Keywords: Supreme Court ruling on Catalan jailed leaders Catalonia ruling Catalonia independence Spanish PM Sanchez Pedro Sanchez
  • Location: MADRID, SPAIN
  • City: MADRID, SPAIN
  • Country: Spain
  • Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions
  • Reuters ID: LVA001B12L5C7
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Spain's acting prime minister Pedro Sanchez was quick to rebuff a demand for an amnesty from Catalan regional leader Quim Torra on Monday (October 14), saying the sentences handed over to 12 Catalan leaders convicted for their role in Catalonia's 2017 independence bid must be carried out.
    "Today's decision confirms the defeat of a movement that failed to gain internal support and international recognition," he said in a televised address to the nation. He also called for dialogue, saying now was time for a new chapter for Catalonia.
    The government has said it was ready to take direct control of Catalonia as it did in 2017 if secessionist leaders break the law.
    As protests broke out in Catalonia following the ruling, Sanchez said his government would guarantee security and coexistence in the deeply divided northeastern region.
    An opinion poll in July showed 48.3% of Catalans against secession and 44% in favour.
    The ruling is likely to colour a national election on Nov. 10, Spain's fourth in four years, and influence the direction taken by the separatist movement.
    (Production: Michael Gore, Catherine Macdonald, Anna Valderrama)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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