Catalan News Agency - Puigdemont asks Spanish politicians for “courage” to “negotiate a referendum”
Puigdemont asks Spanish politicians for “courage” to “negotiate a referendum”
CNA
Madrid (CNA).- The Catalan President, Carles Puigdemont,
urged Spanish politicians to find the “courage” to “negotiate a
referendum” in Catalonia. In a speech in Madrid on Friday, Puigdemont
regretted that, so far, the Spanish political class has behaved as if it
was “not concerned” by the pro-independence movement going on in
Catalonia. Puigdemont urged the politicians that will need to form a new
government after the election on the 26th of June to find a solution to
the Catalan situation which would allow citizens to express their
opinion on independence at the ballot box. According to Puigdemont,
“Catalans’ patience is not infinite”. “We won’t sit still with folded
arms eternally”, he warned, asking Madrid to engage in “dialogue” with
the Catalan administration. In another event, on Thursday in front of
members of the business community in Sitges, Puigdemont said that his
government will never disobey the law while following the path towards
independence. “I know that some people use the word ‘disobedience’. I
won’t use it nor will my government”, he said.
Puigdemont asked Spain to engage in negotiations for a referendum
“within a year”, the period which the Catalan government still has left
in office, according to its roadmap for independence. The Catalan
President made this request in front of 25 diplomatic delegates, the
Catalan Ministers Neus Munté and Meritxell Borràs, the spokespersons of
liberal CDC in Congress and the Senate and representatives from the
Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE), such as the former minister Ángel
Gabilondo. However, no member of the current Spanish government, led by
the conservative People’s Party (PP), attended the conference.
The Catalan President warned Madrid that if it continues to act as if
it is “unconcerned” about events in Catalonia it will soon find itself
in a lot of trouble. “This is not a temporal issue of some crazy
politicians and brain-washed citizens”, he warned, asking the Spanish
government to stop “looking away”. Puigdemont said that the best
solution to the Catalan situation is one “agreed by everyone”.
“We need courageous dialogue to find a shared solution”, he said,
emphasising that this “is the most convenient scenario” for both Madrid
and Barcelona. However, Puigdemont regretted that so far the Spanish
political class “hasn’t even had the courage to avoid a new election”.
“How then could they find the courage for a constitutional reform?”, he
asked.
Catalonia will not disobey
In a previous event with members of the business community,
Puigdemont said that his government will never disobey the law while
following the path towards independence. During the inauguration of the
32th Conference of the Cercle d’Economia in Sitges,
Puigdemont insisted that he wants dialogue with the Spanish government
and reassured businesspeople that the process will go “law by law” and
offer “legal certainty” at every step of the way. “I know that some
people use the word ‘disobedience’. I won’t use it nor will my
government”, said the Catalan President. Puigdemont said that his
government will never leave the negotiation table, but regretted that,
so far, the Spanish executive has refused to discuss any petition
presented by Catalonia.
“Someone said I have a proposal to disobey the law. I don’t. I never
talk about disobedience, but rather about obedience. I always said we
have to go from one law to another, I always speak about legal
certainty. There is no other way”, said the Catalan President. His
government aims to create ‘state structures’ for an independent
Catalonia over an 18-month period and then celebrate elections to elect a
constituent Parliament that would have the challenge of drafting a
Catalan Constitution. Only after that Constitution is approved by
citizens in a referendum would independence be declared. In other words,
Puigdemont’s strategy is to transition from the current Spanish
legislation to the Catalan Republic legislation, therefore aiming not to
break any laws in the process.
Some members of the business community, however, are sceptical about
this and asked Puigdemont about the uncertainty in Catalonia. The
Catalan President said it is in Spain where there is no government and,
thus, uncertainty. In Catalonia”, he stated, there is a government with a
clear mandate and a clear path, even if not everyone likes it. However,
he reminded businesses that he will always be willing to negotiate with
the Spanish government but that Madrid has so far refused to consider
any petition. In fact, the President said that even the proposals of the
Cercle d’Economia, which in the last few years have included petitions
to reform the autonomic state and the fiscal agreement and celebrate
some kind of consultation, have fallen on deaf ears. “The first proposal
from the Cercle was almost four years ago and no reform has been put
through, on the contrary, there is a trend towards recentralisation of
powers”, Puigdemont regretted.
The Catalan President said that the “support for stagnation” of the
Spanish government has boosted support for independence in Catalonia,
increasing the number of members of parliament openly in favour from 14
to 72. Puigdemont agreed that there should be a petition “widely shared”
between the different business, political and social sectors in
Catalonia in favour of more self-government, a fair fiscal system and a
recognition of the singularities of Catalonia. However, he stated that
considering the pro-independence majority in the Catalan Parliament,
Spain is “democratically and politically forced to offer a solution” to
this issue as well.
During the inauguration of the conference, the president of the
Cercle d’Economia, Anton Costas, said that Spain faces a moment of
“political fracture” because of the lack of agreement between the
different political parties. The business leader also warned that the
issue of Catalonia is “the main political problem in Spain” and urged
the political class to work to avoid “stagnation”.
“within a year”, the period which the Catalan government still has left
in office, according to its roadmap for independence. The Catalan
President made this request in front of 25 diplomatic delegates, the
Catalan Ministers Neus Munté and Meritxell Borràs, the spokespersons of
liberal CDC in Congress and the Senate and representatives from the
Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE), such as the former minister Ángel
Gabilondo. However, no member of the current Spanish government, led by
the conservative People’s Party (PP), attended the conference.
The Catalan President warned Madrid that if it continues to act as if
it is “unconcerned” about events in Catalonia it will soon find itself
in a lot of trouble. “This is not a temporal issue of some crazy
politicians and brain-washed citizens”, he warned, asking the Spanish
government to stop “looking away”. Puigdemont said that the best
solution to the Catalan situation is one “agreed by everyone”.
“We need courageous dialogue to find a shared solution”, he said,
emphasising that this “is the most convenient scenario” for both Madrid
and Barcelona. However, Puigdemont regretted that so far the Spanish
political class “hasn’t even had the courage to avoid a new election”.
“How then could they find the courage for a constitutional reform?”, he
asked.
Catalonia will not disobey
In a previous event with members of the business community,
Puigdemont said that his government will never disobey the law while
following the path towards independence. During the inauguration of the
32th Conference of the Cercle d’Economia in Sitges,
Puigdemont insisted that he wants dialogue with the Spanish government
and reassured businesspeople that the process will go “law by law” and
offer “legal certainty” at every step of the way. “I know that some
people use the word ‘disobedience’. I won’t use it nor will my
government”, said the Catalan President. Puigdemont said that his
government will never leave the negotiation table, but regretted that,
so far, the Spanish executive has refused to discuss any petition
presented by Catalonia.
“Someone said I have a proposal to disobey the law. I don’t. I never
talk about disobedience, but rather about obedience. I always said we
have to go from one law to another, I always speak about legal
certainty. There is no other way”, said the Catalan President. His
government aims to create ‘state structures’ for an independent
Catalonia over an 18-month period and then celebrate elections to elect a
constituent Parliament that would have the challenge of drafting a
Catalan Constitution. Only after that Constitution is approved by
citizens in a referendum would independence be declared. In other words,
Puigdemont’s strategy is to transition from the current Spanish
legislation to the Catalan Republic legislation, therefore aiming not to
break any laws in the process.
Some members of the business community, however, are sceptical about
this and asked Puigdemont about the uncertainty in Catalonia. The
Catalan President said it is in Spain where there is no government and,
thus, uncertainty. In Catalonia”, he stated, there is a government with a
clear mandate and a clear path, even if not everyone likes it. However,
he reminded businesses that he will always be willing to negotiate with
the Spanish government but that Madrid has so far refused to consider
any petition. In fact, the President said that even the proposals of the
Cercle d’Economia, which in the last few years have included petitions
to reform the autonomic state and the fiscal agreement and celebrate
some kind of consultation, have fallen on deaf ears. “The first proposal
from the Cercle was almost four years ago and no reform has been put
through, on the contrary, there is a trend towards recentralisation of
powers”, Puigdemont regretted.
The Catalan President said that the “support for stagnation” of the
Spanish government has boosted support for independence in Catalonia,
increasing the number of members of parliament openly in favour from 14
to 72. Puigdemont agreed that there should be a petition “widely shared”
between the different business, political and social sectors in
Catalonia in favour of more self-government, a fair fiscal system and a
recognition of the singularities of Catalonia. However, he stated that
considering the pro-independence majority in the Catalan Parliament,
Spain is “democratically and politically forced to offer a solution” to
this issue as well.
During the inauguration of the conference, the president of the
Cercle d’Economia, Anton Costas, said that Spain faces a moment of
“political fracture” because of the lack of agreement between the
different political parties. The business leader also warned that the
issue of Catalonia is “the main political problem in Spain” and urged
the political class to work to avoid “stagnation”.
The Catalan President, Carles Puigdemont, in Madrid (by R. Pi de Cabanyes)
