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Spain's Court of Accounts has started the procedure to confiscate the house of former Catalan president Artur Mas. The court has ordered the seizure of his residence in Barcelona on carrer Tuset. Also affected are other former members of the Catalan government facing cases over the unofficial 2014 independence referendum: vice-president Joana Ortega's homes in Barcelona, half of a home in Taradell belonging to former minister Francesc Homs, the properties belonging to former minister Irene Rigau in Ribes de Freser and another property belonging to former secretary general of the Presidency department, Jordi Vilajoana.

These buildings are claimed to cover the 5.27 million euro (£4.64 million, $6.18 million) security the court has ordered them to post for their roles organising the unofficial "consultation" on 9th November 2014. It should be noted that the former ministers, as well as having to cover this multi-million guaranty, have already been tried by the High Court of Justice of Catalonia, which sentenced them to bans from public office and fines for disobedience and malfeasance over the same event.

2.8 million euros was insufficient

So far, the politcians had paid 2.8 million euros (£2.5 million, $3.3 million) and, to cover the rest (5.27 million), they had proposed to the court that they would provide properties as guaranty. The court has accepted.

Some days ago, the court confirmed that it was accepting the proposed properties and, until the procedure is over and the case is closed, they will all be provisionally embargoed and, as such, cannot be sold. However, the politicians can continue using them.