In a statement made at the doors of the Catalan Parliament, the suspended speaker of the chamber, Laura Borràs, reacted this Thursday at noon to the sentence of the High Court of Catalonia (TSJC), which convicted her to four and a half years in prison and a 13 year ban from office holding for the crimes of document falsification and abuse of authority. Borràs, also president of of the pro-independence Together for Catalonia (Junts) was highly critical of the court and described its sentence as a "judicial and democratic aberration". Borràs stated that she did not have "a fair trial" and that, therefore, "she could not expect a fair sentence". "Because I am who I am and I am as I am, I will not resign, I will not give up and I will not cease in my fight to defend my honesty and demand an acquittal that, with all certainty, some other court will proclaim", she said , calling for "this mock justice" not to be accepted with resignation in the face of an "execrable" judgment.
In her address, the Junts leader affirmed that, during the course of the trial, she "had to, and was able to, demonstrate" her "innocence", but that "this was not even enough for the state to prevent this judicial and democratic aberration". "I have been sentenced to prison and disqualification from office for crimes I have not committed," Laura Borràs said. The leader reaffirmed that "many people said before the trial that, if I were not who I was and represented what I represent, the trial would never have taken place." "Therefore, it is clear that this sentence would never have been handed down if it were not for who I am and if I did not represent what I represent," she said.
Laura Borràs addressing supporters and media outside the Catalan Parliament.
With regard to the impact that the sentence may have on her political future, Borràs declared that she maintains her "firmness, determination to resist so that, sooner or later, justice is done". The suspended speaker of Parliament addressed "those who consider that I did not have a fair trial": "Let's not normalize this democratic assault, I am not giving in to it." Regarding the sentence, "since it is neither firm nor fair", Laura Borràs maintained that it will not prevent her from "continuing to work for the only goal for which I entered politics, which is to achieve the independence of Catalonia".
"I rebel against the injustice"
On the other hand, the Junts president invited "a reflection" by "all those who had sentenced me before the trial and wanted me removed and did not even want to hide that the TSJC was doing a job for them": "I invite you to reflect on whether everything is worth it, if you are willing to take advantage of the effects of the repression against the independence movement to use it for partisan purposes. It is a very clear attempt to destroy the movement, I resist that, I rebel against the injustice and will continue to fight it," she replied. Again, Borràs affirmed that she is a person of "integrity" and that her "innocence or guilt cannot be determined by a politicized court that acts for the unity of Spain".
Throughout the wholejudicial process, in which, she says, her "right to have an impartial judge" was not respected, the Junts leader expressed her pride in having chosen "the most difficult path" and of having remained "faithful to my pact with the truth", despite "the costs" it has had. In this regard, she was critical of Isaías Herrero and Andreu Pujol for choosing to agree to "avoid prison". "This gives me more strength to feel free even though I have been convicted," she said. Finally, Borràs concluded her statement with a Japanese proverb: "If you fall seven times, you will get up eight times". "Against this they will never be able to win, because we are the Objectively Identifiable Group; since courage is persistence, let's get up, I'm getting up to continue fighting against the injustice!", she exclaimed.
Laura Borràs walked to Parliament, accompanied by her husband and daughter. During the media appearance, she also received the support of some of the most important officials of the Junts party, such as Jordi Turull (general secretary); the vice presidents of the party, Josep Rius, Aurora Madaula and Anna Erra; the president of the parliamentary group, Albert Batet; spokesperson Monica Sales; Senate spokesperson, Josep Lluís Cleries; and other deputies such as Francesc de Dalmases, Joan Canadell and Jaume Alonso-Cuevillas. The former president of the Generalitat, Quim Torra, also attended. Behind the television cameras, nearly 80 people came to show their support for Borràs. The demonstrators greeted her with shouts of "president" and "out, out, out, Spanish justice".