The Spanish government isn't clarifying whether their legal services have examined the complaint filed by the Catalan Parliament's Bureau against judge Pablo Llarena, although it is warning pro-independence parties that the complaint could represent a misuse of public funds, a suggestion being studied by pro-union parties PP and Cs. The Moncloa government palace tells the Bureau and speaker Roger Torrent to "not say they didn't know the consequences", depending what happens. The chamber's lawyers believe the filing should have been made by specific parties instead.
"They're decisions which can cause annoyance to those who take them", said government spokesperson Íñigo Méndez de Vigo in a press conference after today's cabinet meeting. He said he hasn't been able to study the complaint, which was presented around 12pm, after the measure was announced yesterday evening. He did, however, argue it could prove to be a misuse of public funds as it is signed by the institution itself, not an individual or political party.
The spokesperson didn't want to go into detail about the consequences of there still not having been invested a Catalan president, or whether he expects it will go to a new election. He only said that "since the 21st December, it hasn't changed", because "the political parties aren't agreeing" on choosing a president. He didn't venture changes to the intervention in Catalan governance through article 155 of the Spanish Constitution, beyond ordinary administration. "We're worried for the Catalans and we're making agreements, we'll continue to do so because it's our duty," he said.
On the subject of the decision by the Schleswig-Holstein higher regional court, he expressed doubt it is a blow for the Spanish justice system. "No German court has exonerated Carles Puigdemont, they've only taken a decision over pretrial detention," he said. The court rejected extraditing the president on the charge of rebellion and is now considering the less serious charge of misuse of public funds. The central government still hopes Puigdemont will be extradited to Spain, and that, somehow, it will still be possible to try him for rebellion.