Top Catalan Court Bars Torra From Holding Public Office for 18 Months

MADRID (Sputnik) - The High Court of Justice of Catalonia has barred President of Catalan Government Quim Torra from holding elected office for 18 months, according to a statement on the court's ruling published on Thursday.

"The sentence imposes the penalty of a 10-month fine with a daily quota of 100 euros [$111] (the amount is set relating to his purchasing power) as well as a special disqualification from holding elected public office, either at local, regional, national or European levels," the court said in a statement.

The top regional court has found Torra guilty of disobeying the Spanish central electoral commission’s order to remove pro-independence symbols from government buildings during the election campaigns in April and May.

Torra has the right to appeal the decision in the Spanish Supreme Court. If the sentence is upheld, Torra will have to leave office, which would trigger a snap presidential election in Catalonia.