Four and a half years in prison, thirteen years of disqualification and a fine of 36,000 euros. This is the sentence received yesterday by Laura Borràs, suspended president of the Parliament of Catalonia and president of Junts per Catalunya, in the trial to which she was subjected by the Superior Court of Justice of Catalonia (TSJC), accused of crimes of document falsification and prevarication Crimes that, according to the justice system, he committed during his time (2013-2017) at the head of the Institució de les Lletres Catalanes (ILC), in which he attributed irregularly cut contracts to a friend who provided IT services.
This sentence can be mitigated if the Central Government considers the court's proposal, in the sense of applying a partial pardon to Borràs, the aim of which would be to prevent him from going to prison. This is a resource that the Penal Code grants to judges when they consider that the legal system may lead to excessive penalties in their opinion. Approval ultimately depends on the Ministry of Justice and, therefore, the central government.
The convict reacted in the predictable way in her case. She claimed without evidence – nor did she provide it before her innocence – that she had been subjected to an unfair trial and that therefore she could not expect a fair sentence. He also accused the TSJC of being biased, politicized and aligned with the defense of the unity of Spain, insisting that it is the subject of ideological persecution.
Borràs had his supporters, among which ex-president Torra stood out on the spot, who valued the sentence as an infamy. Or that of former president Puigdemont, who from a distance insisted on his policy of confrontation with the State. He also received the support of some leaders of Junts, but not all of them, since in this formation there is no lack of those who think that Borràs should be aware of his criminal situation and leave his positions as soon as possible.
Both the PSC and the PP were explicit in this regard and asked Borràs to step aside. ERC and the CUP have long expressed their distance with the now condemned. Ciutadans went further yesterday and went to the Central Electoral Board to request that Borràs, already convicted of corruption, withdraw his seat, which would also mean he would lose the presidency of the Parliament.
Given these facts, several issues must be emphasized. The first is that the cause for which Borràs has been tried predates the outbreak of the process and derives exclusively from his irregularities during the exercise of the presidency of the ILC, so it is not comparable or comparable to the convictions handed down in the trial of other pro-independence leaders. The second, and certainly no less important, is that Catalonia cannot under any circumstances allow its second institutional authority, only behind the president of the Generalitat, to be occupied by a person with the current criminal record of Borràs. The third is that Junts should be the first interested in permanently removing Borràs from both the presidency of the Parliament and the presidency of the party, given that his conviction and the causes that motivated it constitute a dark blot on this formation.
Borràs' political career in the institutional field seems to have come to an end, for the moment and for a long period of time. Justice has expressed itself clearly, and we are now awaiting the possible appeals of the defense and the attitude of the Spanish Government regarding the request for a partial pardon made by the judges. All the political parties, except for a part of Junts, consider that a person with the history of Borràs is not qualified for popular representation. We think so too.
