The Minister for Digital Policy and Public Administration, Jordi Puigneró, said today that “Pedro Sánchez will pay a price for violating the digital rights of the citizens of Catalonia”. “The Government of Catalonia will fight this digital decree at all levels.” According to the minister, a legal, political and international offensive has been launched to overturn the decree, which he said amounts to a “a digital Article 155 – enacted by the back door – that’s unacceptable in Europe in the 21st century”.

Puigneró made these statements today in Madrid after the Standing Committee of the Congress of Deputies passed the royal decree-law on matters related to digital administration, public sector procurement and telecommunications with the votes of the Socialists (PSOE), the People’s Party and Ciudadanos (Citizens).

“Today, the PSOE has put itself on the side of repression”

Puigneró said: “Today, we’ve seen how Pedro Sánchez has chosen strange new travelling companions,” positioning his party alongside the People’s Party and Ciudadanos, and “his investiture has become more complicated”.

“Overturning this decree will obviously be a condition that we’ll include in any negotiations with the PSOE government from this point on, because in our view this decree is clearly a threat to both the citizens of Catalonia and its institutions,” said the minister.

Puigneró criticised the “sad figure” of the Podemos parliamentary group and lamented the “limited strength Podemos is likely to have in a government that should deal with political problems by doing politics”.

Finally, the minister said he believes the decree sets Spain on the path of digital repression. “Spain was already known for its political and judicial repression. From today, it will also be known for digital repression in Europe.”  According to Puigneró, by passing the decree, “Spain has put itself on the same level as Turkey, China and Iran.”