The rapper Valtònyc is to remain in Belgium and at liberty. Once again, Spanish justice has been unable, at least up till now, to achieve the implementation of a European arrest warrant issued by the National Audience court. In addition, in the case of this Mallorcan musician, the extradition demand was for terrorism, something simply weird when what we are talking about are the lyrics of a few songs.
It marks another blow for a Spanish justice system which has so far failed in Europe in all its efforts. Both in this case, for terrorism, and in the case of the Catalan politicians for rebellion and misuse of funds, and across four different countries: Belgium, Germany, the UK and Switzerland. The cases in Brussels - those of Toni Comín, Meritxell Serret and Lluís Puig - and in Geneva - Marta Rovira - have advanced furthest through the process; the German case, which affects president Carles Puigdemont, should not be delayed beyond this month of July and that of the minister Clara Ponsatí, in Edinburgh, has another preliminary appearance scheduled on July 23rd.
Valtònyc left Mallorca for Brussels in May to avoid going to prison to start a sentence set at three and a half years after appeal. Since then, the demands made by a number of groups on the issue have been significant. However, no one has responded. Pedro Sánchez's new Spanish government has not given any instructions to the Public Prosecutor.
Quite apart from the opinion that everyone is free to form on the lyrics of the young artist, raising the issue in Europe with an extradition request cannot avoid sounding discordant. A case which many see as one of freedom of expression is handled by others by sending it to trial as terrorism. A way of proceeding that makes it very difficult for Spanish justice to improve its reputation and prestige in the eyes of its European partners.