“What does a State have to do when someone violates the Constitution, when someone declares the independencewhen someone cuts public roads, performs public disorder, when someone is having relations with political leaders of a country [Rusia] what is invading Ukraine?” The Defense Minister, Margarita Robles, has thus insinuated in Congress that the CNI did monitor Catalan independence leaders in 2017 and 2019.
In a control session that has been largely monopolized by the ‘catalangate’, the socialist minister has debunked the accusations of massive espionage due to the lack of evidence. And she has pointed to the commission of reserved expenses as the only forum in which explanations can be given, since the actions of the National Intelligence Center (CNI) are reserved.
“When it comes to safeguarding the unity of Spain and against independence, anything goes”, lamented Mireia vehicle (CUP), the deputy before whom Robles, after several questions on this matter, has justified the espionage. Just before they had also asked for explanations on this matter Miriam Nogueras (Together), Agnes Arrimadas (Cs) and Aitor Esteban (PNV). In the fourth question, that of Vehí, the minister has already been seen somewhat accelerated and has said that she saw the CUP deputy “with the mantra of the sixty-odd people spied on, investigated and she does it without any evidentiary material …”, he has justified the surveillance with the string of rhetorical questions (in which he has ended up pointing to Russia) and, immediately after, has made him ugly that “he has not said anything” about the “hacking” to the Public Employment Service State (SEPE) and “to phones of ministers”. In August 2020, it was learned that the cell phone of then Minister of Justice Juan Carlos Campo had been hacked.
The commission of reserved expenses
“What I hope is that once that commission is constituted come out all, they can see the documentation and, perhaps, many of those who now give lessons will have to shut up when the performances they have had are seen. Everything will be clear in that commission,” the minister told Nogueras, implying that there were well-founded reasons to investigate the independence movement. “Hopefully we will set up the commission soon and we can talk about Pegasus yes or Pegasus no because I tell you that many would stay surprised”, he insisted to Esteban.
The Basque deputy has denounced the “helplessness” of Congress and the “Spanish democracy”. “The commission is not going to solve anything. A secret has never been told. I have been there. documents now and then repeal the law on official secrets”, Esteban urged Robles. “What happened to that progressive judge that you were? That judge would be absolutely concerned about what is happening and would not settle for ‘our hands are tied and everything has been done with the law and we’ll see in the secrets commission ‘” he continued.
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The minister has responded that to her, “as a progressive judge”, he is scandalized that the sovereignist parties are accusing the Executive without “evidential material” and based “on I don’t know what report and in what means of communication”. “Where are the tests?”, She has asked her.
After the parliamentary session, sources from the Ministry of Defense have also assured that “not only governments buy Pegasus” and that this is a statement by the company that markets it for which there is no evidence. In this context, these sources have insinuated that other bodies and state security forces, specifically the Mossos, could also have acquired it. Former Commissioner José Manuel Villarejo assured in the investigation commission of the ‘Kitchen case’ that the Catalan regional police had that espionage program.