The Court of Auditors has summoned the former president of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemontfor diverting funds for an interrogation on the 17th and is finally asked to do so in person at its headquarters in Madrid, according to sources involved in the process.
The State supervisory body judges embezzlement of up to 5.3 million euros for the illegal calling of the 1-O referendum in 2017 and the promotion of the process abroad with public money and wants to interrogate Puigdemont as one of the most responsible.
The Court of Accounts already announced last June, before the general elections, that it would set November 17 for this trial to decide if the case is to be heard for sentencing, but it remained to be determined whether Puigdemont would be summoned in person or would a telematic intervention be sufficient. Finally it will be in person, as the organization has communicated to the parties, which adds pressure to Puigdemont to try to get the amnesty negotiation that he maintains with the PSOE also clearly erases his accounting responsibility and that of his team in the Generalitat.
If, as is highly probable, Puigdemont does not attend the Court of Accounts summons, it is not expected that a fine will be imposed on him as he is part of the case and not a witness, but it is counterproductive for his defense and would go against him in the development of the case. case in which sanctions will have to be decided on those responsible for embezzlement. The former Catalan president initially claimed MEP immunity to avoid being prosecuted, but his request was rejected. Amnesty is now his great escape route.
The trial is directed by the counselor of the Court of Accounts at the proposal of the PP, Elena Hernandez, which has announced to the parties that it will not reach oral conclusions on the 17th after listening to those questioned, but will formulate them later in writing. Thus gaining time to gauge the effects of the amnesty law attempted by the PSOE.
In addition to Puigdemont, the person who was general auditor of the Ministry of Finance during the illegal referendum has been summoned, where appropriate as a witness. María Luisa Lamela.