The function of the quality press is not only to act as a sounding board for political noise. It must also filter information sources that are often contaminated; separate the grain from the chaff and prioritize the news. As a result of the cases of wiretapping and of recordings of private conversations, information has emerged that has focused political and media interest. The objective of the revelations must be to shed light on facts that the citizenry deserves to know, because it contributes to the strengthening of democracy. On the contrary, if they try to fuel confusion with biased approaches, critical debate is devalued. The defense of freedom of informationas we said in another editorial, makes it necessary to defend the publication of relevant facts, but not in an advantageous or partisan manner.
As we wrote when knowing the attacks with the ‘software’ pegasus various members of the central government, the Government of the Generalitat and the pro-independence parties and entities, the parliamentary appearance of the director of the National Intelligence Center (CNI), Peace Stephen, and his subsequent dismissal should serve to close the intersection of political accusations while waiting for the courts to instruct the open cases or those that may be opened. The parties, meanwhile, should promote the pertinent legal reforms to reinforce the mechanisms of judicial protection of the CNIincluding the intervention of the prosecutor in the authorization of wiretapping, which would reinforce the guarantees of legality.
In parallel, from the Government, the “non-militant” nature of our Constitution is insisted on and, consequently, it is recalled that independence as a political idea does not constitute a crime. The action of the CNI, from this logic, is part of its mission to protect the State against those who tried to alter its composition without following the legally established paths. The Pegasus case, however, can cover up actions that have gone beyond what is reasonable both in relation to the alleged reasons for the wiretapping authorization and the number of people spied on and the time the intervention lasted. The Government could dispel these doubts by promoting the declassification of documents that allowed judicial authorization.
In the meantime, we remain mired in the political quagmire with the information filtering that were given behind closed doors in the congressional commission. In parallel, Commissioner Villarejo has started up the Kitchen operation fan again. From what was leaked, at the political level, only one judicial action could emerge: the opening of proceedings against Maria Dolores de Cospedal and her husband, who, at the time, did not consider appropriate the National Court. This circle has been closed with new leaks about the so-called Catalunya operation. The most relevant fact is the action against Sandro Rosell, former president of FC Barcelona, which caused him irreparable damage: he spent almost two years in preventive detention before being acquitted. The documents that show that he was investigated without judicial control cannot be overlooked: in the same way that the independence movement has been judged, the excesses in the persecution of him must be judged.
The citizenry is perplexed at this rosary of leaks, which are the mirror of some Political and judicial practices that must be reviewed. It is the responsibility of all our political representatives. If it is not done, disaffection and polarization will increase. Perhaps the recipe to avoid both is: listen less and listen more.