The Government has been accumulating reprimands from the Electoral Board mainly for "violating political neutrality" during the electoral period. However, this time the organization has filed a complaint from the PP that it filed against the Executive of Pere Aragonès for "selling the referendum." It is the Central Electoral Board (JEC) that has been in charge of studying it and in the session of April 11 it dismissed the accusation.
The Popular Party registered its documentation before the event was held at the Institut d'Estudis de l'Autogovern (IEA) on April 2 on a report to hold a referendum agreed under article 92 of the Constitution. That is why the JEC affirms that "it has declared that it is not up to it to decide on future legal events until they have occurred." Furthermore, following the allegations of the Generalitat, it assures that the body "lacks the powers to order the cancellation of acts carried out by public entities and bodies in the legitimate exercise of their powers."
Thus, for the Electoral Board, in the case of the presentation of the report by Aragonès "the circumstance arises that, by filing the complaint on the same day that the act was going to take place, action within the deadline was not possible." requested to the Provincial Electoral Board before which the claim was presented" (...) and that, therefore, there is a sudden loss of object, as maintained by the representation of the Generalitat of Catalonia."
The Government spokesperson, Patrícia Plaja, applauded the decision at the press conference this afternoon after the Executive Council meeting this morning. Plaja recalled that despite being in the electoral period, the Government is not in office "and is fully operational." The spokesperson has assured that the Catalan Executive will continue to deploy its government action "adapting to the legal framework."
This resolution favorable to the interests of the Government is an oasis in a series of claims that have been upheld by the Electoral Board. Among them, some presented by the PSC, which denounced the Catalan Cabinet for advertising in various media, including network Catalonia.
It also resolved in favor, this time of the PP, complaints for announcing during the electoral period the Department of Climate Action an aid of 128 million euros to improve the municipal water network, in a measure that favors 707 Catalan municipalities. Likewise, Aragonès' visit to Barnahus - comprehensive care centers for victims of sexual abuse - in Vilanova i la Geltrú, on March 27.
However, none of the reprimands from the Electoral Board have implied any financial sanction.
