Supreme Court sentence does not solve Catalonia's political problem - Spanish acting FM

Record ID: 1436917

  • Title: Supreme Court sentence does not solve Catalonia's political problem - Spanish acting FM
  • Date: 15th October 2019
  • Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (OCTOBER 15, 2019) (REUTERS) SPAIN'S ACTING FOREIGN MINISTER JOSEP BORRELL TALKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) SPAIN'S ACTING FOREIGN MINISTER JOSEP BORRELL, SAYING: "This sentence is not being produced to solve the political problem, we know that. The judges are not there to solve the political problems, they are there to implement the law and to typify acts according with the penal code." BORRELL TALKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (French) SPAIN'S ACTING FOREIGN MINISTER JOSEP BORRELL, ON THE CATALAN REGIONAL GOVERNMENT: "For sure he (Catalan regional leader Quim Torra) is schizophrenic in the most basic meaning of the word. A person with mentally split roles is schizophrenic. They're encouraging protesters - yesterday they said occupy the airport, surround the control tower. We cannot accept that they endanger air traffic. BORRELL TALKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SPAIN'S ACTING FOREIGN MINISTER JOSEP BORRELL, SAYING: "Obviously this sentence was not going to solve the so called Catalan conflict. Sentence are not made to resolve political conflicts but to criminally typify specific acts. Ideas have not been on trial, neither have political positions. Everyday separatism expresses itself with total freedom at parliament, on the streets, everywhere. Neither ideas nor opinions have been on trial." VARIOUS OF BORRELL AT BRIEFING
  • Embargoed: 29th October 2019 10:12
  • Keywords: Acting foreign minister Josep Borrell Catalonia independence Supreme Court Catalan leaders sentence
  • Location: MADRID, SPAIN
  • City: MADRID, SPAIN
  • Country: Spain
  • Topics: Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA001B17K7YF
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The issue posed to Spain by Catalonia's independence drive will not end with the sentencing of nine separatist leaders, Josep Borrell, Spain's acting foreign minister said on Tuesday (October 15), calling for dialogue within the framework of the constitution.
    On Monday (October 14), the Supreme Court set out prison terms of between nine and 13 years for leaders from the northeastern region over their role in a failed 2017 independence bid, triggering protests.
    Judges are not there to solve political problems in Catalonia, Borrell told reporters.
    The independence movement had ignored those in Catalonia who were not in favour of breaking away from Spain, he added.
    An opinion poll in July showed 48.3% of Catalans against secession and 44% in favour
    (Production: Silvio Castellanos)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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