Catalan ex-minister posts bail in rebellion case
MADRID - The Associated Press
A Spanish court official says that Catalan ex-regional minister Santi Vila has posted bail of 50,000 euros (about ($58,000) and that a judge has ordered his release from a prison outside Madrid.
Vila, who spent a night in prison, was the only former member of Catalonia’s regional government to have had bail set for him Thursday. A National Court official, speaking under customary rules of anonymity, said that Vila is expected to be released soon.
Another eight former officials were denied bail as part of an investigation into the regional government’s attempt to provoke the secession of Catalonia from the rest of Spain.
Vila, the former regional minister for business, resigned in protest a day before Catalonia’s parliament voted in favor of a declaration of independence on Oct. 27.
A person close to Vila also confirmed to The Associated Press that Vila deposited the bail money with the court. The source spoke anonymously because of the sensitivity of the issue.
Judge Carmen Lamela ordered Vila’s passport to be confiscated and he will be required to show up in court every two weeks. Vila is still being investigated in the rebellion, sedition and embezzlement case along with his former fellow Cabinet members.
Catalan ex-president Carles Puigdemont flew to Brussels this week after Spanish authorities removed him and his 13-member Cabinet from office for pushing ahead with secession.
Puigdemont was due to appear at Spain’s National Court on Nov. 2 to answer questions in a rebellion case brought by Spanish prosecutors, but he didn’t show up.
