The former President of the Generalitat, Carles Puigdemont, has shown solidarity with the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, and the Defense Minister, Margarita Robles, as “victims” of espionage, although they has reproached “not having done anything” until complaints came from the independence movement.
This is how he reacted from Twitter, after learning that the mobile phones of Sánchez and Robles were subjected to “illegal and external” wiretapping by the Pegasus cyberespionage program, according to two technical reports from the National Cryptologic Center.
The violation of the privacy of @sanchezcastejon and the minister Robles is a crime gravíssim that threatens democracy. The best solidarity with them, as the victims, and the best maximum demand for them, as those responsible for not having fer res fins a l’esclat del #CatalanGate
— krls.eth / Carles Puigdemont (@KRLS) May 2, 2022
“The violation of the privacy of Pedro Sánchez and Minister Robles is a very serious crime that threatens democracy. My solidarity with them, as victims, and my highest demand towards them, as those responsible for not having done anything until the outbreak of CatalanGate” Puigdemont has stated.
According to the former president, “Moncloa has had to wait for an infection with Pegasus in the cell phones of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense to consider that it is a matter of extreme gravity and to investigate it”.
On the other hand, he has protested, “when we Catalans denounced it, we did not deserve so much consideration.”
Puigdemont sympathizes with Sánchez and Robles
For her part, the President of Parliament, Laura Borras, has expressed this Monday, after his suspicions about the possibility that the Government of Sánchez is making a “maneuver” to go “from executioners to victims” of political espionage.
Sánchez i Robles said to be spies. Now, yes, it is a major issue, just because it affected independence, the minister did not justify it. Or a maneuver to pass from botxins to victims? Bye CatalanGate? not queue
– Laura Borràs 🎗 (@LauraBorras) May 2, 2022
“Sánchez and Robles say they are spied on. Now it is a very serious issue. When it only affected the independence movement, the minister justified it. Is it evidence that you do not have to clean the sewers in case you can use them? Or a maneuver to go from executioners to victims? Bye CatalanGate? It doesn’t work”, Borràs stated.
Junqueras calls for “transparency” for the sake of democracy
Also the president of ERC, Oriol Junqueras, has demanded political responsibilities for the espionage case with Pegasus from independence leaders “far from possible alibis”.
It is evident that the Spanish state has caused massive and illegal espionage on the entire independence movement. Per això, i lluny de possibles coartades, we demand political responsibility. I pel bé democràcia, cal the maximum transparency to clarify all the fets.
– Oriol Junqueras 🎗️ (@junqueras) May 2, 2022
“It is evident that the Spanish State has carried out a massive illegal espionage on the entire independence movement,” Junqueras stated in a tweet collected by Europa Press.
And he added that “for the sake of democracy, maximum transparency is necessary to clarify all the facts.
For her part, the general secretary of the ERC, Martha Rovirahas also reacted to the Government’s announcement in another tweet: “Moncloa says that Moncloa has been spied on by Moncloa with Pegasus that Moncloa has. Now, Moncloa will not take political responsibilities.”
Moncloa said that Moncloa has been spied on by Monlcoa amb #Pegasus what tea Moncloa@fromlamoncloa @NewYorker @citizenlab
Ara, the political responsibilities will NOT arrest Moncloa#CatalanGate— Marta Rovira Vergés🎗 (@martarovira) May 2, 2022
The Generalitat periodically review the 500 charges
The Generalitat periodically check mobile devices of half a thousand charges to detect possible threats and malicious programs such as “Pegasus”, which would have been used to spy on dozens of pro-independence leaders, including the Catalan president, Pere Aragonès.
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The director of the Cybersecurity Agency of Catalonia, Oriol Torroellaexplained to Rac1 that the plan to shield the Government’s communications already provided for this type of review, but that until now they have not been carried out as a result of the anticovid measures and teleworking.
The cybersecurity agency also has been made available to Parliament in case Members want their mobile devices checked regularly to keep them safe from intrusions.