María de la Cinta López officially took office today as the new head of the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office in Tarragona, in a ceremony presided over by Catalonia’s Superior Prosecutor, Francisco Bañeres.
López, who began her career in the Tarragona prosecutor’s service in 1993, succeeds María José Osuna, who was appointed Chief Inspector of the State’s Fiscal Inspection Office in late May. Her appointment was formalised by Royal Decree 697/2026, published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) on 27 August.
In her inaugural address, López stated that the priorities of the public prosecution will be the protection of minors, victims, and vulnerable individuals, as well as tackling emerging technological crimes. "Defending legality means acting firmly when necessary, but also proportionally, pursuing crime while especially protecting victims," she said.
She highlighted the growing complexity of economic crime, often linked to new technologies, including artificial intelligence, which presents novel legal and technical challenges. López also stressed the importance of maintaining legal action when justified and withdrawing it when not, to uphold justice and proportionality.
López called for a prosecution service characterised by dialogue, shared responsibility, and proximity to judicial bodies, police forces, and public administrations. She also committed to improving working conditions for prosecutors, acknowledging the high workload and inherent pressures of the role.
Francisco Bañeres praised López’s over 30-year career, describing her as an "exceptional public servant" with strong analytical and management skills. He expressed full confidence in her leadership and urged the continuation of the Barnahus model, a child-friendly justice initiative developed in Tarragona.
Ramon Espadaler, Minister of Justice and Democratic Quality for the Catalan government, attended the ceremony to show institutional support. His presence aligns with the Generalitat’s earlier push for at least 35 of the 200 new prosecutor positions being allocated to Catalonia, based on workload rather than population share.
Four new prosecutor positions will be established in Tarragona by 31 December 2026: two in Tarragona city, one in Reus, and one in El Vendrell. These are part of a broader national expansion that includes 35 new prosecutor roles across Catalonia, increasing the regional workforce by 8%.
The restructuring follows the approval of Royal Decree 560/2026, published on 9 July, which modifies the organisational structure of the Public Prosecutor’s Office to meet current demands. The changes are part of a wider modernisation of Catalonia’s judicial offices, beginning in Barcelona and extending progressively across the region.
Primary sources: boe.es, MINISTERIO FISCAL. Reported by naciodigital.cat, 3CatInfo, cronicaglobal.cat, diaridetarragona.com, Redacción Confilegal, Ràdio Ciutat de Tarragona, UAp FGE, Tarragona21, fiscal.es, 33872531V, europapress.es, Lawly, aplicacions.dipta.cat, reusdigital.cat.
