The Provincial Court of Barcelona sends Alay to trial for travelling as an observer to the New Caledonia referendum

Josep Lluís Alay will have to go to trial on charges of embezzlement of public funds and fraud for the trip he made to New Caledonia as an observer of the independence referendum held there in 2018. The Provincial Court of Barcelona has dismissed the appeal presented by the head of President Puigdemont’s office and ratified the conclusions of the Examining Magistrate’s Court no. 28 of Barcelona, which maintains that there are indications that the trip was paid for with public money despite the fact that it was a personal trip and not in any way related to his work as head of the office of former President Carles Puigdemont. Alay’s defence, headed by Gonzalo Boye, sees political motivations behind the charges. The case stems from a complaint filed by the Prosecutor’s Office also initially directed against the secretary-general of the Presidency, Meritxell Masó. This case has been closed, but Alay’s remains open. In the case against Alay, the cost of tolls paid on his way to visit the political prisoners in Lledoners prison is also included.