CATALONIA -- Catalan News Agency - National Alliance for Self-Determination agrees to focus on ensuring that Catalans can vote
Catalan News Agency - National Alliance for Self-Determination agrees to focus on ensuring that Catalans can vote
National Alliance for Self-Determination agrees to focus on ensuring that Catalans can vote
CNA
Barcelona (ACN).- The second meeting of
the so-called National Alliance for the Right to Self-Determination of
Catalonia (Pacte Nacional pel Dret a Decidir) has agreed to focus their
efforts on making it possible for Catalans to vote on their own
collective future. More than 1,500 organisations are part of this Pact,
including institutions, political parties, trade unions, business
organisations, professional associations, NGOs, cultural organisations
and political pressure groups. Not all the participating organisations
back independence from Spain, but they all fully support Catalonia’s
right to decide on its future as nation. In the last few months, many
organisations have joined the Alliance, which had its first meeting in
June. On Wednesday they analysed the current situation at a meeting in
the Catalan Parliament’s hall, with the direct attendance of 67
representatives. They agreed to campaign for the right to hold a free
and democratic self-determination vote in Catalonia, putting specific
ideologies aside. However, each member organisation will be free to
campaign for independence or any other option, but only on its own
behalf. In addition, they have agreed not to criticise those who do not
support Catalonia’s right to self-determination. Arguments are to be
expressed “in a positive way” and not against anyone, they decided. In
addition, the participants will always show a “civic-minded” attitude,
underlining the expression “a single people” and “avoiding any statement
that can bring division among Catalans”. They also agreed that no money
will be allocated for any specific activity but that each organisation
and institution will provide the funds for their own activities. The
meeting was chaired by the President of the Catalan Government, Artur
Mas, sitting next to the President of the Catalan Parliament, Núria de
Gispert. Mas did not want to comment on the meeting’s results but just
said “it was fine” and that he was “backing Joan Rigol’s statements”.
“We have to work hard to earn” the capability to vote
The Alliance Coordinator, the former President of the Catalan
Parliament Joan Rigol, stated that “now we do not have the chance to
vote” and therefore “this capability to vote has to be hard-earned”. “We
have to work hard to earn it”, insisted the veteran Christian-Democrat
politician. Rigol explained that the Alliance will not support
independence or any other option, but exclusively the right to
self-determination. “We have to earn, first of all, the capability to
vote and, once we can vote, then each one of us will decide if he votes
for independence or for something else”, stated the widely-respected
politician. However, each member organisation is free to campaign for
whatever political alternative they might support, but on their own
behalf and not on behalf of the Alliance. In addition, Rigol proposed
that citizens hang out the Catalan flag on their home balconies during
the next Sant Jordi Day (23rd of April), as a peaceful demonstration supporting Catalonia’s right to self-determination.
Rigol also criticised the Spanish authorities’ lack of dialogue and
accused the Spanish Government of asking Catalan parties to give up
their claims as a condition to start talking. “What makes the dialogue
impossible is that they ask us to abandon the commitment to organize a
[self-determination] consultation vote”, he underlined. He also added
that polls show that “around 80%” of Catalans support self-determination
and would like to vote on Catalonia’s political future, regardless
whether they support independence or not.
Several employer associations support self-determination
The leaders of the parties participating in the Alliance were
satisfied with the meeting. The President of the Left-Wing Catalan
Independence Party (ERC), Oriol Junqueras, and the parliamentary
Spokesperson of the Catalan Green Socialist and post-Communist Coalition
(ICV-EUiA), Dolors Camats, also highlighted the commitment of a wide
range of social, economic and cultural organisations, including several
employer associations. Joan Rigol also highlighted that “there were some
very positive interventions” in the meeting coming from business
associations. “Both the PIMEC [Catalonia’s main small and medium-sized
enterprise association] and the CECOT [another SME association], and
also the Chambers of Commerce of Catalonia” showed an absolute and
complete support for the right to self-determination”, he stressed.
The business associations that are part of the Alliance represent many more companies and a larger share of Catalonia’s economy than Foment del Treball,
the employer association grouping large companies, whose President is
against independence and refused to participate in the Alliance. Foment,
which is part of the Spanish employer association CEOE, stated this
week that they would not get involved in the current political debate.
However, this is far from being the opinion of all employer and business
associations in Catalonia, as was also highlighted yesterday in a reply
to CEOE’s and Foment’s statements.
A “plural” Alliance
Dolors Camats particularly emphasised the “plurality” of the
Alliance, with an extremely wide variety of participating organisations,
which represent a very large share of Catalan society. “What
legitimises today the right to self-determination is the plurality
existing in the National Alliance”, said the ICV-EUiA Spokesperson.
Junqueras also insisted on the “absolute unity” of all participants
defending such a right. Furthermore, regarding the specific agreement to hold a self-determination consultation vote on the 9th of November reached by a majority of Catalan parties,
the ERC leader said that the issue had not been debated in today’s
meeting, although the participants’ support was “implicit”. “Despite our
differences in many other aspects, there is a unanimous agreement
regarding the need to defend and exercise the right to
self-determination and that we can vote on the 9th of
November”, stated Junqueras. “Today the [self-determination] process is
rich and plural because it belongs to everybody, and not only to those
who would vote for one option or another”, he concluded.
The parties opposing self-determination criticise the meeting
The People’s Party (PP), which runs the Spanish Government,
criticised the meeting and particularly the Catalan President. The PP
Spokesperson, Enric Millo, accused Artur Mas of “digging in his heels”,
supporting an “intransigent” stance. The Spanish nationalist party said
that Mas “rejects any dialogue” when “he says that talking to the
Spanish Government is impossible because he has to give up [organising
the self-determination] vote”. “With this way of looking at things” Mas
is bringing “the organisations that are part of the National Alliance
for the Right to Self-determination to a dead-end”. The anti-Catalan
nationalism and populist party Ciutadans (C’s) stated that this
Wednesday’s meeting of the Alliance was “a group of friends’ picture”.
The C’s Secretary General, Matías Alonso, accused the participants of
putting self-determination “above the economic crisis” as a priority. He
also said that Rigol’s call to hang out the Catalan flags was a
“revolutionary call”, belonging to “fanatical separatists”.
More on
The second meeting of the National Alliance for the Right to Self-determination (by A. Moldes)
