The president of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, has defended the granting of the pardon to the former president of the Parliament of Catalonia and leader of Junts, Laura Borràs, and has rejected that this measure aims to secure the support of the independentist formation for the General State Budgets.
He has emphasized that the pardon is "partial" and that it aligns with the criteria of the Superior Court of Justice of Catalonia, which considered the imposed sentence "excessive."
Sánchez made these statements at the press conference following the traditional summer meeting with King Felipe VI in Palma de Mallorca, prior to the August vacation break. He was also asked about the recent indictment of the former director of the Civil Guard, Leonardo Marcos, in the "Leire Díez case," regarding which he preferred not to comment. "I have nothing to say, presumption of innocence and we will see how this whole case unfolds," he indicated.
Likewise, he avoided commenting on the purchase of a penthouse in the center of Madrid by the regional government of Isabel Díaz Ayuso, which, according to the PSOE, would be for "personal and residential use" of the Madrid president. "The one who will have to respond is the president of the Community of Madrid, not me," he limited himself to responding.
Argues that the TSJC saw the sentence as "excessive"
Regarding the pardon for Borràs, Sánchez maintains that it is a decision that derives from a resolution of the TSJC, which pointed out that the prison sentence imposed on the leader of Junts was disproportionate. "The opinion of the TSJC is that the embezzlement should be maintained but not the prison sentence as it was considered excessive," he recalled.
The Council of Ministers approved the pardon the day before that commutes the sentence of four years and six months in prison to another of two years, which avoids her entering prison. However, the rest of the sentence is maintained: the fine and the disqualification of four years.
Borràs was convicted of prevarication and documentary falsification for splitting contracts in order to award them directly to a friend when she was in charge of the Institució de les Lletres Catalanes (ILC) between 2013 and 2018.
"Nothing to do" with political negotiation
Sánchez maintains that the Executive is limited to applying "the sentence of the TSJC" and dismisses that the pardon is related to the negotiation of the General State Budgets, which the Government aims to push through before the end of 2026 and for which it still does not have a sufficient majority in Congress.
"That has nothing to do with the negotiation of budgets, nor with anything related to politics," the president emphasized. "Please, have that absolutely clear," he added.
When finally asked whether he will hold the meeting with the King again at this time next year, Sánchez responded that he is going to "try." "My intention is to repeat and continue with the task," he concluded.