The European Parliament voted this Thursday in plenary session in Strasbourg in favor of a new resolution on alleged Russian interference in democracies, in which I asked Spain to investigate the alleged connections between the Catalan independence movement and Vladimir Putin’s regime. In addition, MEPs supported new amendments that explicitly cite the alleged contacts of the former president of the Generalitat, Carles Puigdemont, with the Kremlin.
The resolution, which has passed with 433 votes in favor and 56 against and is not binding, has been supported by the majority groups of the European Parliament with the exception of the Left group and the extreme right of Identity and Democracy. In the new text, amendments have been included that explicitly include, at the request of the PP MEP, Javier Zarzalejos, that “according to information from various investigative journalists, the former Russian diplomat Nikolai Sadovnikov met with the then separatist leader and current member of the European Parliament Carles Puigdemont, in Barcelona, ??on the eve of the illegal referendum in Catalonia in October 2017.” This amendment has been rejected by the entire socialist group and the Greens, which includes ERC. The PNV has not supported it either.
Puigdemont was not expressly cited in the draft resolution, but it was finally added in the final vote. In addition, a reference to the amnesty is included in another amendment promoted by the leader of Ciudadanos in the European Chamber, Adrián Vázquez. Specifically, it includes that “representatives of a group of Catalan secessionists from Spain who have maintained relations with personalities close to the Kremlin (…) demand that they be granted an amnesty for their alleged crimes.” Nor have the socialists, ERC, or PNV supported it.
Likewise, the text asks the Spanish “competent judicial authorities” to investigate “the connections of MEPs allegedly linked to the Kremlin.” In a reference to Puigdemont and Junts MEP, as well as “Russia’s attempts to destabilize and interfere in the EU and its member states.”
The MEPs show their “extreme concern” about the alleged information that links “the Catalan secessionists with the Russian administration.” They believe that if “Russian interference in Catalonia is confirmed, it would be part of a broader strategy” to “promote internal destabilization and disunity in the EU,” while showing “deep concern” about “large-scale disinformation campaigns.” scale that Russia has brought to Catalonia.”
Likewise, the text refers to the Voloh case that links “the former President of Catalonia and his entourage with Russia, and whose investigation has recently been extended.” An investigation by the Civil Guard that analyzes the alleged diversion of public funds for the organization of altercations during the process and in which the alleged contacts between senior political officials in Catalonia with representatives of the Russian president’s entourage, Vladimir Putin, were later revealed. .
The investigating judge of the Voloh case, Joaquin Aguirre, of the Investigative Court number 1 of Barcelona, ??believes that there are indications that Russia was willing to support “economically and militarily” the independence of Catalonia to “destabilize the European Union” and that both Puigdemont, like his entourage, maintained “close relations” with German and Italian far-right politicians and with the Putin regime. In the statement he also mentions the judges who are investigating these cases and “deplores” the attacks against them.
The text as a whole has been supported by all the main groups of the European Chamber, including the social democratic group, the popular, green, liberal and the European Conservatives and Reformists, where Vox is located. In the previous debate on this matter that took place on Tuesday, the vice president of the European Commission, Margaritis Schinas, echoed the information about “regular and close contacts” between Russian officials “and a group of Catalan secessionists” as example of Russian interference and called for an internal investigation to be opened in the European Parliament. “It is the duty of this house to investigate who else did what and under what conditions to play the Moscow game,” Schinas added.
The resolution also adds the case of the Latvian MEP from the Russian minority, Tatjana Zdanoka, who is accused of collaborating for at least 10 years with the Russian Federal Security Service, and in which Latvia and the Parliament to investigate “thoroughly and without delay” to determine “appropriate sanctions and criminal procedures.”
This is not the first time that the European Parliament has spoken out about the alleged ties between the Catalan independence movement and Russia. The plenary session of the European Parliament voted on a report two years ago on foreign interference. It included a reference to “close and regular contacts between Russian officials and representatives of a group of Catalan secessionists in Spain” and how these formed part of Russia’s strategy to “destabilize” democracy in the EU. Along the lines of the resolution voted today.
