The Catalan government spokesminister, Meritxell Budó, has made it clear that the government doesn't recognise president Quim Torra's suspension from his seat as a member of the Catalan Parliament, ordered this afternoon by the Provincial Electoral Commission of Barcelona.
She wrote on Twitter: "President Quim Torra is a delegate [of the Parliament] and president of the Catalan government and no illegitimate body will prevent it, however much the law is twisted. With you, president Torra!"
El President @QuimTorraiPla és diputat i President de la @gencat i cap òrgan il.legítim ho impedirà per molt que es retorci el dret. Amb tu President Torra! pic.twitter.com/OogvUY5Rhz
— Meritxell Budó🎗 (@meritxellbudo) January 10, 2020
Deputy Parliament speaker Josep Costa and JxCat's leader in the chamber, Albert Batet, made comments along similar lines.
Seguim on érem. Si la JEC no pot privar algú del seu escó al Parlament, menys pot fer-ho la JEP de Barcelona.
— Josep Costa🎗 (@josepcosta) January 10, 2020
Amb tu, diputat i president @QuimTorraiPla#NoSurrender
Translation: "We remain where we were. If the Central Electoral Commission cannot deprive someone of their seat in the Parliament, less so can the Provincial Electoral Commission of Barcelona."
No es pot inhabilitar la sobirania del poble de Catalunya. Cap Junta Electoral té potestat ni legitimitat per retirar una acta de diputat. No ho acceptarem. Ens plantarem, com hem fet sempre. Estem al teu costat, president @QuimTorraiPla! #NoSurrender https://t.co/kRreOFoq1U
— Albert Batet Canadell🎗 (@albertbatet) January 10, 2020
"You cannot ban from office the sovereignty of the people of Catalonia. No Electoral Commission has the power nor the legitimacy to remove a delegate's credentials. We won't accept it. We will stand firm, as we've always done. We're beside you, president Torra!"
Torra's speech
Earlier this afternoon, before the announcement from Barcelona but after a decision supporting the Central Electoral Commission from Spain's Supreme Court, Torra appeared in the Catalan government palace alongside his government and senior members of the pro-independence parties.
"I am a delegate of the Parliament and president of Catalonia," he began his speech. "The Parliament is the only [body] which can decide who loses the condition of delegate, through the mechanisms established by its Rules. The only legal framework applicable when it comes to electing and removing the president of Catalonia is that established by the Rules of the Parliament, the Law of the Presidency of Catalonia, the government and the Statute [of Autonomy of Catalonia]," he said.
The president described the Supreme Court's decision as a "new serious and unacceptable violation of the sovereignty of the Parliament", an "attack without precedents on the fundamental rights of an elected official" and a "new and serious democratic irregularity".