A total of fifteen Members of the European Parliament have informed the European Commission of the case of the Spanish judges' emails giving strong anti-Catalan independence views, and have asked the EU to investigate. The signatories include European representatives from seven countries: Belgium, Slovenia, Portugal, United Kingdom, Ireland, and Italy, along with Catalan, Basque and Galician representatives of the Spanish state.
In the text, which gives links to the news stories on the judges' emails, the MEPs ask the European Commission to respond on whether it will open an investigation into the facts. Moreover, it asks "the commission to explain how these exchanges between Spanish judges are compatible with judicial independence and respect for the rule of law in Spain" and also questions whether "impartiality is guaranteed in the trials against Catalan civil and political leaders" in the referendum and independence process case.
Violation of judicial independence in #Spain:
— Ramon Tremosa (@ramontremosa) 20 of septiembre of 2018
15 MEPs send today a Written Question to the European Commission with the leaks of emails exchanges between Spain's judges against Catalan pro-independence leaders pic.twitter.com/T9quymO0Y4
The document presented to the Commission is in the form of a written question, sent to EU justice commissioner, Věra Jourová. The MEPs inform Jourová of some of the insults made in a judges' on-line forum against independence leaders and supporters: "rapists, sons of bitches, vermin, germs and Nazis”. The text reminds the Commissioner that they are “undermining the principle of Rule of Law and of judicial independence, violating article 47 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.”
Moreover, the European representatives state that the “Commission is the guardian of the EU Treaty” and when Hungary and Poland have violated these principles, the European body has decided to take action to “protect the Rule of Law”.
The full list of those signing the text is: Bart Staes (Belgium), Mark Demesmaeker (Belgium), Izaskun Bilbao (Basque Country - Spain), Ivo Vajgl (Slovenia), Ana Miranda (Galicia - Spain), Lidia Serna (Galicia - Spain), Antonio Marinho Pinto (Portugal), Martina Anderson (United Kingdom), Liadh Ni Riada (Ireland), Lynn Boylan (Ireland), Matt Carthy (Ireland), Eleonora Forenza (Italy), Jordi Solé (Catalonia -Spain), Josep Maria Terricabras (Catalonia -Spain), and Ramon Tremosa (Catalonia -Spain).