Francesc Sánchez: "They carried out a prospective investigation because they are called Pujol and because Catalonia wanted independence"

MadridFrancesc Sánchez (Sant Boi, 1971) is Oriol Pujol's lawyer in the trial currently taking place at the Audiència Nacional. During the preliminary questions, he denounced that the start of the investigation was "unlawful" and responded to the "will" of "part of the State apparatus" to want to "influence" the independence process. A few weeks ago, he provided the documentation from the case underway in Andorra regarding the disappearance of Banca Privada d'Andorra to prove the intervention of State sewers. The former legal representative of Convergència is confident that the pending witness statements from Celestino Barroso –former Interior attaché at the Andorran embassy– and Joan Pau Miquel –former CEO of BPA– will support this and celebrates that the president of the court, José Ricardo de Prada, "put a stop" to José Manuel Villarejo.

How do you assess the trial so far?

— Regarding Oriol, I am quite satisfied. Because throughout the proceedings, his name is not mixed up with any strange operations. And, above all, I believe that the prospective investigation carried out makes it clear that there is no evidence that the operations had any unlawful purpose. Jordi's [the eldest son's] operations are those of a person with a lot of activity outside the country, but which have no origin in corruption. Since there is no plot, there are no witnesses who can truly corroborate it.

You speak of prospective investigation. Why would you say the Pujol family is being tried?

— Because his name is Pujol. And because Catalonia, at the time, wanted to carry out an independence process. Any other family that was not called Pujol, that was not related to Catalonia and had had money abroad, would have spoken with the Tax Agency and reached an agreement, as great footballers have done. But the rest of the things they have been building are part of police persecution.

Without the operation in Catalonia and the patriotic police, would there have been this trial?

— Even more so, I believe that the very statement in the patriotic police trial, trying not to say anything, lying and with amnesia, proves that they are the ones who initiated this persecution. When you cooperate with justice as a police officer, you don't care who is right, you want to prove the truth. It is evident that these people did not want it because they are involved. They did not do it alone, there were people with political rank who wanted the prospective investigation.

But the Andorran accounts existed before the 'Procés' and Villarejo's intervention.

— No one doubts the existence of the Andorran accounts. Our explanation is that it is grandfather Florenci's savings, and at the time, the family regularized these assets. Oriol did not, because he no longer had them. Obviously, they existed. But this does not imply that they have any unlawful origin, because they do not, nor that political corruption operations have been carried out. I am convinced that Jordi Pujol Ferrusola's actions, from the perspective of relations with the administration, are impeccable.

In the indictment, the Prosecutor's Office mentions that Oriol Pujol was Secretary General of Industry when, in 2000 and 2001, three environmental contracts were awarded to the company Entorn Enginyeria i Serveis, linked to the Sumarroca family, one of whose members is one of the investigated businessmen.

— At first, he was asked some questions about it, but when it became clear that there was no connection, the prosecutor did not ask about the matter again. Anyone who knows the Catalan administration knows perfectly well that environmental issues have nothing to do with the Secretary General of Industry. Things are also being investigated from 2003 onwards, when Convergència was not in government. They are trying to place a generic shadow of doubt.

And the order for abbreviated proceedings states that, when he "held the position of chief minister", Oriol Pujol mediated for Predinet – a business in which the eldest son participated – to receive a guarantee from the Institut Català de Finances.

— The truth is that Oriol has never been chief minister. Never. He doesn't know what they're talking about. When President Mas came to government, Oriol did not join the government, he was Secretary General of Convergència. Therefore, I don't quite understand this absurd connection. There is no intellectually sustainable relationship.

On Wednesday, the UDEF investigator who prepared the key reports in the case said he had "personal animosity", although he later qualified it.

— I don't believe the qualification at all. It was evident that at the beginning he was telling the truth, because he was saying it out of resentment. In a normal country, with such animosity, what he says or doesn't say has the relative importance it has. I understand that his statement has very residual value.

At the beginning of the trial, the Audiència Nacional decided to keep President Pujol as a defendant despite medical reports advising against it. What did you think?

— I think it surprised everyone. I believe he has been the best president Catalonia has ever had. And when two experts come and say what they say, they should be listened to.

What do you attribute it to?

— To the prudence on the part of the president of the court. We'll see, the proceedings are not over.