Mariano Rajoy asserts that "rule of law and democracy have worked" and "will continue to work"

Lower House of Parliament, Madrid

Before the start of the Government Control Session, a minute's silence was held in the Lower House of Parliament as a sign of solidarity with the victims of the earthquake in Mexico.

Pool Moncloa/César P. SendraBoth Gabriel Rufián, MP for ERC [Republican Left of Catalonia], and Aitor Esteban, Spokesperson for the PNV [Basque Nationalist Party], asked the President of the Government about the situation in Catalonia. In his responses, Mariano Rajoy underlined that the government "is doing what it must do" and that "we will continue to do so until the end", because that is "our obligation".

According to the President of the Government, what happened on 6 and 7 September in the Regional Parliament of Catalonia was "extremely serious", "profoundly anti-democratic" and "an act of democratic barbarism", since "they tried to wipe out" the basic State rules such as the Spanish Constitution, the Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia and the Spanish legal system in just a few hours, and moreover, tried "to invent a new form of legality".

Compliance with the law

Mariano Rajoy claimed that during this process, "they ignored all the parliamentary procedures employed by a democracy" as well as "the rights of the regional MPs, who were unable to take part in the debate or propose amendments". He also underlined that "fortunately, the rule of law and democracy have prevailed", and will continue to do so. "I believe that we have done that which we needed to do and was our obligation".

As regards the operation carried out by the Guardia Civil in various places in Catalonia on Wednesday morning, the President of the Government highlighted that "this has been done upon a judicial order", with the aim of "guaranteeing" that "the law is upheld". Furthermore, Mariano Rajoy called for no further "threats" to be made against mayors, local councillors, police officers and those other people who do not support the pro-independence process because this is an "attack on their individual rights".

Common sense, moderation and proportionality

In response to the Spokesperson for the PNV, Mariano Rajoy recalled that he has spoken on "many occasions" with the President of the Regional Government of Catalonia and that the latter has only ever proposed one option to him: "A referendum or a referendum". Given this situation, he added, "the response can be none other than the one we have given".

Pool Moncloa/César P.Sendra

"We can speak about whatever they want", added the President of the Government, "but no-one should count on me to wipe out the unity of Spain or national sovereignty". According to Mariano Rajoy, the government is acting "with common sense, moderation and proportionality" in order to "avoid the law being trampled on", because "the law must be upheld in Spain". "If we allow our rules to be trampled on, we will only be left with injustice and chaos".

Investments in justice system

The Spokesperson for the PSOE [Spanish Socialist Workers' Party], Margarita Robles, enquired after the situation of the justice system in Spain. After admitting that the justice system "is a key public service", and "a cornerstone of our rule of law", Mariano Rajoy explained that it is the government's intention "to provide the justice system with sufficient means to exercise its function".

In this regard, he highlighted the increase in the respective budgets of the justice system over recent years: 1.2% in 2015, 7.3% in 2016 and 7.7% in 2017. Investments in improving infrastructures, technological modernisation and the renewal of equipment have risen this year by 86%. Among other measures, he highlighted that a commitment has been made to the digitalisation of the justice system, tools have been provided to improve its organisation and the Public Prosecutor's Office has been given significant support (the number of public prosecutors has risen by 40%).

Mariano Rajoy also announced the creation of 300 new posts for judges (200) and prosecutors (100) for next year, 2018. And in 2017, 75 new judicial units have been created, as well as 100 new posts for judges and 69 for prosecutors. He explained that "we are making an effort, not only in terms of resources, but also in organisational legislative reforms".

Statements to the media

Pool Moncloa/César P. SendraAfter the Government Control Session was over and in the corridors of the Lower House of Parliament, the President of the Government insisted that what is happening in Catalonia is "an unprecedented attempt to wipe out the Constitution". He added that "logically, the State must react", because "no democratic State in the world would accept what is being proposed by these people".

He also asserted that "they knew a referendum could not be held because this means wiping out our national sovereignty and the entitlement of all Spaniards to decide on what they want their country to be".

For that reason, Mariano Rajoy called for the situation to be rectified in order to return to "normality". "I believe that what common sense and good reason dictate, what is better for everyone, absolutely everyone, is for this foolish project that leads nowhere to be put into reverse gear".

Non official translation