Jailed former vice president hopeful “new era of dialogue” starts

Oriol Junqueras welcomes recent meeting between Catalan and Spanish leaders and believes referendum is only way out

Image of jailed Oriol Junqueras in a screen during an ERC party meeting in June 2018 (by Bernat Vilaró) / ACN

ACN | Barcelona

First published: December 23, 2018 11:07 AM

The jailed former Catalan vice president, Oriol Junqueras, is hopeful that the meeting between the Spanish and Catalan leaders on Thursday is the beginning of a "new era of dialogue" between both administrations.

"Everyone knows that this conflict, which they now recognize, can only be solved with the path of dialogue," he said in an interview with the Catalan public TV.

According to Junqueras, the way out after this dialogue should be a referendum on Catalonia's independence, because "more than 80% of Catalans are in favor" of such vote.

Oriol Junqueras referendum independence Pedro Sánchez Quim Torra dialogue Junqueras