The Court of Auditors considers the Government of Catalonia liable for 4.1 million euros in relation to the costs of the 1 October referendum

The Court of Auditors orders a provisional settlement in the preliminary investigation into the Government of Catalonia’s accounting liability in relation to the costs of organising the 1 October referendum, which it provisionally sets at 4.1 million euros, and demands a bond from the 28 people allegedly responsible for the costs: the former president and vice-president (Puigdemont and Junqueras) and the twelve ministers at the time of the 1 October referendum (Turull, Romeva, Comín, Rull, Forn, Bassa, Ponsatí, Borràs, Puig, Mundó, Serret, Vila), as well as former minister Neus Munté and 13 high-ranking officials from the 2017 government, including Josep Maria Jové and Albert Royo. The Caixa de Solidaritat, a solidarity fund run by members of civil society, begins a campaign to cover the new bond amount and on 19 February deposits 1.9 million euros, which, added to those already deposited for the same purpose before the Supreme Court, adds up to the 4.1 million required. The Court of Auditors had agreed for the bonds deposited to come from the amounts posted to both the Supreme Court and in the 13th Examining Magistrate’s Court of Barcelona in relation to the organisation of the referendum, but the 13th Court retains the amount and does not send it to the Court of Auditors.