Question for written answerE-006357-17to the CommissionRule 130Jordi Solé(Verts/ALE), Josep-Maria Terricabras(Verts/ALE), Ramon Tremosa i Balcells(ALDE), Izaskun Bilbao Barandica(ALDE), Tania González Peñas(GUE/NGL), Maria Lidia Senra Rodríguez(GUE/NGL), Matt Carthy(GUE/NGL), Liadh Ní Riada(GUE/NGL), Lynn Boylan(GUE/NGL), Ernest Urtasun(Verts/ALE), Barbara Spinelli(GUE/NGL), Estefanía Torres Martínez(GUE/NGL), Xabier Benito Ziluaga(GUE/NGL), Jill Evans(Verts/ALE), Helga Stevens(ECR), Helmut Scholz(GUE/NGL), Beatrix von Storch(EFDD), Sander Loones(ECR), Rina Ronja Kari(GUE/NGL), Mara Bizzotto(ENF), Josu Juaristi Abaunz(GUE/NGL), Molly Scott Cato(Verts/ALE), Indrek Tarand(Verts/ALE), Igor Šoltes(Verts/ALE), Bodil Valero(Verts/ALE), Barbara Lochbihler(Verts/ALE), Franz Obermayr(ENF), Anneleen Van Bossuyt(ECR)(11 October 2017)Subject: Spain: threat to arrest 712 democratically elected Catalan mayors

On 13 September, Spain’s Attorney General, Manuel Maza, announced that the 712 Catalan mayors

http://www.politico.eu/article/spain-to-prosecute-712-catalan-mayors-over-referendum/

(75% of all mayors in Catalonia) supporting the 1 October referendum on independence would have to appear for questioning before the judiciary. Mr Maza also stated that Catalan mayors who refuse to appear before the court would be arrested by the police

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-4880146/Spain-threatens-712-Catalan-mayors-arrest-assisting-independence-poll.html

3 months ago, the Spanish Parliament voted to rebuke Mr Maza, as well as the Spanish Justice Minister, by an absolute majority (207 to 134)

http://www.elmundo.es/espana/2017/05/16/591adfc4e2704e355c8b4683.html

, but the Spanish Government refused to replace the Attorney General due to his political affinity with the Partido Popular.

In addition, President Juncker stated in his SOTEU 2017 speech that: ‘The rule of law means that law and justice are upheld by an independent judiciary’.

1.What will the Commission do to ensure that Spain respects the independence of the judiciary?

2.Will the Commission consider launching the rule of law mechanism?

3.How is the Commission going to act in the light of the political and judicial persecution of democratically elected Catalan mayors?