Oriol Junqueras, leader of Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya, stated today that taking on responsibilities is a natural step in the wake of the political crisis sparked by the Pegasus spyware affair, which culminated in the removal of Paz Esteban from the National Intelligence Center. He emphasized the need for maximum transparency and strong guarantees to ensure that such events, which affect pro‑independence leaders and various central government figures, cannot recur.
Resurfacing in Alicante, Junqueras has consistently dodged questions about whether Esteban’s dismissal was enough for Esquerra to reopen channels with the cabinet led by Pedro Sánchez, or whether his own removal would be sufficient. He said it is not a matter of weighing symbolism but of demanding clear answers in situations involving mass espionage, and of preventing any repetition. Those who argue that the Spanish government must restore public confidence stress the necessity of verifying who was involved, how they operated, and for how long, to ensure accountability and guard against future intrusions.
It was also not clarified if the decision to dismiss the CNI director originated from a request by Esquerra Republicana to keep backing the Sánchez administration. Junqueras insisted that in such cases the demand for transparency must be unwavering and information should be disclosed, including how many people were spying, under what conditions, for how long, who ordered the actions, and the likelihood of recurrence.
He added that the priority is not solely honoring shared values but restoring the trust that society has lost due to government surveillance. Espionage directed at elected officials or journalists is not seen as acceptable political practice in any democratic framework. The Catalan politician argued that any healthy democracy rejects all forms of spying and asserted the need for concrete actions beyond Esteban’s dismissal to safeguard democratic norms.
On another front, Junqueras was asked about recent reports alleging links between the Catalan independence movement and Russia in certain dealings. He affirmed that Esquerra’s dialogue remains with democracies and with states that uphold democratic principles. He stressed that the party does not engage with untrustworthy actors and that the sole discussions are with democratically governed institutions, pointing to examples such as the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which he cited as supporting freedom for political prisoners.