Spanish judge Pablo Llarena has allowed just two days for 14 accused members of the Catalan government to come up with more than two million euros. The money is required as a civil bond from the 14 members of the Catalan government accused of misappropriation of public funds for last year's independence referendum, and it is required to be paid by them "jointly and within a period of two days". The 14 Catalan cabinet ministers who have to collectively produce the sum of 2,135,948 euros are Carles Puigdemont, Oriol Junqueras, Jordi Turull, Raül Romeva, Meritxell Borràs, Clara Ponsatí, Toni Comín, Joaquim Forn, Josep Rull, Lluís Puig, Carles Mundó, Dolors Bassa, Santi Vila and Meritxell Serret.
The judge has warned that if the payment is not made within the two day deadline, the 14 politicians could face confiscation of their property.
This formality is not linked to the transfer of prisoners to penitentiaries in Catalonia, but rather with the stage the case has reached, with the accused now formally indicted on the misuse of funds charge, and therefore obliged to turn over the amount for which they could be civilly liable.
The precise sum of 2,135,948 euros demanded is a calculation based on the amount of public money which, according to the judge, was used to pay for the independence referendum on 1st October last year, declared illegal by the Spanish authorities. The investigation carried out for the case led to a court estimation of around 1.6 million euros dedicated to the Catalan vote. Under the law, an additional one-third of this sum has to be added on for this type of bond payment, to cover pecuniary responsibilities.