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  • P & R. The National Security Law, a rule that would not take away powers from Catalonia

The acting Government President, Pedro Sánchez, outlines a gradual plan of action that includes the activation of the National Security Law, if the tension in Catalonia is aggravated, to avoid problems of public order and economic damage. From Moncloa it has been confirmed to, among others, important Catalan businessmen, Sánchez's full willingness to issue a presidential decree in this autonomous community.

Business sources pointed out that the fear of escalation extends after the impending sentence of the process, but they have received assurances from Moncloa that, in such case, the reaction would be very agile. According to government sources confirmed, a decree from the Chief Executive of the State that does not even require agreement of the Council of Ministers would be published quickly in the Official State Gazette .

Specifically, it is based on the powers conferred on Sanchez Article 15 of the National Security Law that states the following: "It is up to the president to declare the situation of national interest." Article 24 of the same law gives it the ability to bind, by decree, the Generalitat to "provide the necessary human and material resources that are under its dependence for the effective application of the mechanisms of action."

In the plan designed in Moncloa, this route, requested by the Popular Party, is preferred to the application of article 155 of the Constitution, because it does not imply taking away competences from the Interior to the Generalitat, but rather forcing the coordination of the Mossos d'Esquadra with the Civil Guard and the National Police.

Approval of the State's lawyer

The State Advocacy sees no problem so that the acting president can sign and apply this decree, although he will have to define the crisis that motivates him and the territory to which he is circumscribed. In statements, this Tuesday, to the Cadena Ser , Sánchez showed that he still does not see the urgency - "I trust the Mossos" - for this type of measures that the PP leader Pablo Casado already demands, but he can dictate and publish a presidential decree in minutes.

In any case, and in the meantime, businessmen have been guaranteed a discreet deployment from the outset of State Security Forces and Bodies along with the Mossos in nerve centers, such as ports or airports.

The president is also willing, in the extreme case, to launch article 155 and dismiss the Government of Quim Torra. According to his own declarations, he can do it in functions "without any problem", but, in this case, lawyers of the State see a certain risk due to the lack of precision of the regulation of the functioning of the Permanent Delegation of the Senate.

However, Sánchez assumes that legal risk. It also has an absolute majority in the Upper House and considers in this case as a preferential partner not to United We, but to the Popular Party.

What does not enter, at least for now, in the gradual plan in Catalonia is the request of the PP to re-intervene the accounts of the Generalitat. Now the control is a posteriori , but in the Treasury they assure that a constant vigilance is already exercised on the expenses of the Government.

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  • PP
  • Mossos d'Esquadra
  • Catalonia
  • Pedro Sanchez
  • United We Can
  • National Police
  • Pablo Casado
  • Civil Guard
  • 1-O trial

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