The Court of Accounts has widened the scope of the proceedings it is already carrying out against those responsible for organising the unofficial 2014 Catalan independence referendum. It has added seven new high-ranking officials to the case, summoning them to appear on 25th September to pay a security, which could reach 5.2 million euros, the calculated cost of the 2014 vote. If they do not pay, they will have assets confiscated to cover the amount. This is a security to guarantee that they can face an eventual sentence if that should happen.
The Court has summoned the former Catalan president Artur Mas, former vice-president Joana Ortega, minister Irene Rigau, former minister Francesc Homs and seven other high-ranking officials of the Catalan government: the then secretary of Presidency department Jordi Vilajoana, Lluís Bertran, Josefina Valls, Carolina Pardo, Jaume Domingo, Ignasi Genovés and Jordi Serra.
They will have to collectively cover the payment of the 5.12 million. They won't all, however, have to pay the same amount, as they didn't all have the same level of responsibility.
The Court of Accounts has communicated its decision the day before the Catalan Parliament is expected to pass the Referendum Law to protect the 1st October vote. It has set 25th September as the date to demand the expenses for the previous vote.
The Court of Accounts, headed by former Justice minister Margarita Mariscal de Gante, member of the hardline wing of the PP (Popular Party), in July sped up the process to require the payment by Mas, Ortega, Rigau and Homs from their own pockets of the expenses from the 2014 "participatory process". The intention was for them to do so before the 1st October referendum
This is the ruling they were summoned with:
As noted in the ruling, the origin of the case was the complaint presented before the Court of Accounts by the organisations Catalan Civil Society and Catalan Lawyers for the Constitution who accused the Catalan government of using public funds to cover the expenses of the organisation of the vote.