Search: independence

Pro-independence 'Junts Pel Sí' proposes to create three government commissions

November 26, 2015 06:33 PM | ACN / Sara Prim

The negotiations between the two main pro-independence forces in the Parliament over constituting a new government are still ongoing. After radical left CUP repeatedly stated that they won't re-elect Artur Mas as President, cross-party 'Junts Pel Sí''s candidate, the 27-S elections winning list presented this Thursday an alternative proposal: a draft to create three "government commissions" with delegated competences. Under this structure, Mas would continue to hold the Catalan presidency but left-wing ERC leader Oriol Junqueras, current Catalan vice-president Neus Munté and 'Junts Pel Sí' top member former MEP Raül Romeva would constitute a "Presidency's Board". The proposal also suggests holding a vote of confidence in 10 months' time to evaluate the evolution of the agreement.

Parliament to appeal the suspension of independence declaration

November 24, 2015 07:40 PM | ACN / Sara Prim

The Catalan chamber will present a plea against the Spanish Constitutional Court (TC)'s suspension of the independence declaration. The Parliament's Bureau approved this on Tuesday, with the support of pro-independence 'Junts Pel Sí' and alternative left coalition 'Cataluna Sí que es Pot's 5 members of the Bureau. The Bureau’s two Anti-Catalan nationalism representatives, from Ciutadans and the Catalan Socialist Party (PSC), voted against the proposal. "We don't understand that a jurisdictional body could stop democracy" stated Parliament's first vice-president and 'Junts Pel Sí' MP, Lluís Corominas. According to Ciutadans' representative in the Parliament's Bureau, José María Espejo, the declaration of independence "did have an unconstitutional component" as it stated that "only those laws approved by the Catalan Parliament would be obeyed".

 

Mas: Spain is punishing us for defending independence

November 24, 2015 02:34 PM | ACN / Sara Prim

Current Catalan President, Artur Mas, appeared this Tuesday before the media to comment on the recent control measures that Spain's executive have set in place to control Catalonia's finances. "We are facing an institutional attack" stated Mas "Spain's executive is punishing Catalonia for defending political ideas which are pacific, democratic and respectful of human rights". "This is really grave" he commented and added that "the EU should be worried" about the fact that "democratically elected parliaments and pacific social movements are being attacked". Mas considers the specific measures that Spain's government announced on Friday to control Catalonia's administration of their share of Spanish Liquidity Point (FLA) funds is a way of "taking over" Catalonia's autonomy and self-government "after years of cutting them back".

Catalonia will have to meet Spain's requirements to receive funding

November 23, 2015 07:16 PM | ACN / Sara Prim

Spanish Finance Minister Cristóbal Montoro warned that Catalonia will have access to the 3,034 million euros from the Spanish Liquidity Point (FLA) after the control extra measures imposed by the Spanish executive "are accomplished". Last Friday, the Spanish government announced specific control measures for Catalonia "to guarantee" that the FLA's money "won’t fund pro-independence whims". According to Montoro, the Catalan government "shouldn't distract the attention" and should correctly administer the citizens’ money. In order to increase the control over Catalonia's finances, Montoro announced that the Bank of Spain, the Comptroller General's Office and the National Institute of Statistics will investigate the 1,300 million euros that Spain's executive believes wasn't properly accounted for last year.

‘Cercle d’Economia’ on independence declaration: it stems foreign investment and forces companies to leave

November 20, 2015 08:05 PM | ACN / Sara Prim

“It is indispensable and urgent to change Catalan politics’direction”, stated this Friday the Cercle d’Economia’s president, Anton Costat. The main Catalan economic forum open to businesspeople and academics warned that the declaration of independence, approved in the Parliament by pro-independence forces ‘Junts Pel Sí’and CUP “breaks the law”and could cause “a strong social fracture”, and emphasised that “a wide majority of society”didn’t support the text. According to Costas “there have been negative effects on business decisions regarding investment and location of corporate headquarters in Catalonia” since “the first minute”the declaration was approved. Such consequences, added the Cercle d’Economia, would be even greater if ‘Junts Pel Sí’and CUP finally reach an agreement.

For the first time, CUP don't mention an alternative candidate to Mas

November 19, 2015 06:59 PM | ACN / Sara Prim

Radical left pro-independence CUP have repeatedly insisted that they won't instate Mas as Catalan President. However, this Thursday, for the first time since the negotiations with cross-party list 'Junts Pel Sï' began, CUP didn't urge their pro-independence partner to propose an alternative candidate for president. The radical left party did remind everyone that they are still waiting for "a new proposal" from 'Junts Pel Sí' which would have to contain "substantial changes" regarding "the what, the how and the when" but didn't specify anything about who will have to lead the new government. CUP assured that once they receive the new proposal they will put it to vote amongst their members in an extraordinary assembly, probably to be held on the 29th of November, once they have completed an internal consultation process with all the territorial factions. 

Employers’ association CECOT calls for the constitution of a new government "as soon as possible"

November 18, 2015 06:12 PM | ACN / Sara Prim

Employers’ association CECOT's president, Antoni Abad, warned of the economic "instability" that political "stagnation" may cause and expressed his "wish" for Catalonia to constitute a new government "as soon as possible". "We can't continue like this" he stated "98% of CECOT associates refuse the status quo". Abad made these statements this Wednesday at a meeting with Parliament's President, Carme Forcadell, whom in turn assured that she is "hopeful" regarding pro-independence forces 'Junts Pel Sí' and CUP’s negotiations. Abad also asked the government to "facilitate" growth of the Catalan business sector and improve its funding system. CECOT's president also confirmed to Forcadell that Catalonia's economy is recovering in terms of employment and internationalisation capability.

‘Castellers’ celebrate 5 years as UNESCO element of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

November 17, 2015 03:47 PM | ACN / Sara Prim

Catalan human towers, ‘Castellers’, celebrated Monday their fifth anniversary of their recognition by UNESCO as an element of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The ‘Castellers’ community had been awaiting the committee’s decision for years, as the candidature was first submitted in 2007. “The number of ‘Castellers’ groups has increased by 30% in the last five years, totalling 97 groups all over Catalonia”, stated ‘Castellers’ Groups Coordination president Maria Cortès, “our goal is not to reach 100 groups, but to make higher, stronger and safer ‘castells’ each time”. Cross-party list ‘Junts Pel Sí’s top member, Raül Romeva, also attended the event, as he is also a member of a group of Castellers. “Castellers teach us that things must be done well, in an organised way and to add to each other, as everybody has their role” he declared in an interview, probably in reference to the negotiations between pro-independence forces ‘Junts Pel Sí’ and CUP.

ANC urges pro-independence forces to reach an agreement by the 27th of November

November 16, 2015 05:24 PM | ACN / Sara Prim

The Catalan National Assembly (ANC), the civil society association responsible for the last years’ massive pro-independence rallies in Catalonia, urged cross-party list 'Junts Pel Sí' and radical left CUP to reach an agreement by the 27th of November. As stated in the ANC's document entitled "Let's do the Catalan Republic" such an agreement has to be "without exclusions, with the conviction that nobody is extra in this process of national transition, on the contrary; we must add new adhesions". The ANC's president, Jordi Sànchez, called for a "strong government" and urged the pro-independence forces to "show responsibility". Sànchez admitted that none of the agents involved aim to call new elections but reach a "good and quick" agreement, otherwise the "risk of erosion of the 72 pro-independence MPs" will be higher.

 

UEFA accidentally shows giant pro-independence flag in promotional video

November 13, 2015 02:32 PM | ACN / Sara Prim

The Union of European Football Associations, and the governing body of football in Europe, UEFA, included the image of a giant pro-independence flag in the upcoming ChampionsLeague match Barça vs Roma’s promotional video. This wouldn’t be newsworthy if UEFA hadn’t twice fined FC Barcelona for displaying pro-independence flags during some of their latest matches. First time was during the ChampionsLeague final in Berlin where FC Barcelona beat Juventus. The governing body of football fined Barça 30,000 euros on that occasion. The second fine was even higher, 40,000 euros, for doing the same during the FC Barcelona - Bayer Leverkusen match on the 29th of September.“It was a mistake from the communication agency in charge of the promotional videos”declared UEFA’s spokesperson to Spanish News Agency EFE. “We are going to change it and send it again tomorrow”. Actually, the video is no longer available.

Spain's King: "The Constitution will prevail"

November 12, 2015 07:21 PM | ACN / Sara Prim

On the day after the Spanish Constitutional Court (TC) suspended the Parliament's declaration to start the independence process and the same day that the official notification arrived at the Parliament, Spain's King Philip VI has guaranteed Spain's unity. "The Constitution will prevail" he stated and added that Spain "won't allow that its unity could be questioned, as it is the base of its people’s peaceful and free coexistence". "It is not the time to go back to the past" stated Spain's King "but to reaffirm ourselves in our compromise with a present and a future full of shared progress and democratic coexistence". "As head of the State" he concluded "I will always be by all Spanish citizens' side". Spain's King made these statements during a ceremonial event of the 'Marca España' ('Spain Brand') initiative, during which many personalities from the cultural, economic and sporting spheres were honoured by Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, José Manuel García Margallo. 

MPs reject Mas' candidacy again

November 12, 2015 03:53 PM | ACN / Sara Prim

For the first time in the Parliament's history, a candidate for President hasn't obtained a majority in the second round. This Thursday, 73 MPs from the 135 in the Catalan chamber refused to re-elect current President Artur Mas, which is exactly the same result that the candidate got in the first round of the investiture debate. The only MPs who supported Mas' candidacy were the 62 of the pro-independence cross-party list, 'Junts Pel Sí'. Their partner in the roadmap towards independence, radical left CUP, repeated their 'no' to Mas, as they repeatedly announced they would. In the following weeks, the parliamentary groups will hold meetings to choose an alternative candidate, but if one is not chosen before the 10th of January, the Parliament will have to call elections again.

Spanish Constitutional Court suspends Parliament's declaration of independence

November 11, 2015 08:22 PM | ACN / Sara Prim

The Spanish Constitutional Court (TC) unanimously approved the appeal presented by the Spanish Government to suspend the Parliament's declaration of independence. The TC will now apply article 161.2 of the Spanish Constitution, which establishes the automatic suspension of any resolution appealed by the Spanish Government, and suspend the declaration, initially for five months. The approved appeal also warns Parliament’s President, Carme Forcadell, current President Artur Mas and all the members of the executive and Parliament's Bureau that those who won't adhere to the TC's resolutions could be fined or suspended. In this vein, Spain's public prosecutor’s office announced on Tuesday that all the police bodies in Spain, including the Catalan Police, had been urged to investigate and denounce the possible "sedition crimes" committed in Catalonia.

The election of a new Catalan President will have to wait

November 10, 2015 08:21 PM | Sara Prim / CNA

All the groups in the Parliament, but ‘Junts Pel Sí', voted this Tuesday against Artur Mas' candidacy for re-election. "We can't be satisfied, we can't be happy with this 'no'" stated Mas, openly referring to the other pro-independence force in the Parliament besides 'Junts Pel Sí', radical left CUP. "I'll be back on Thursday, for the second phase of the vote" he assured. The current president presented this past Monday his roadmap to start building a new Catalan State and highlighted the need to reach an agreement and elect a new government in order to "start the journey" and guarantee that "the process won't be stuck". However, all the Catalan MPs, except for those from cross-party list 'Junts Pel Sí' lamented Mas' "lack of self-criticism" and pointed to the corruption scandals affecting his party, liberal CDC, as a reason to pass him over for the presidency.

Spain's government strategy to stop the independence declaration

November 10, 2015 07:26 PM | ACN / Sara Prim

The independence declaration approved by the Parliament this past Monday will in the end be taken before the court. The Spanish Council of State has unanimously approved the appeal that the Spanish government presented to the Spanish Constitutional Court (TC) and considered the independence proposal to violate four articles of the Spanish Constitution. According to the Council, it is an attempt against Spain's "national sovereignty", "the indivisible unity of Spain" and "the subjection of the public powers to the law", besides other articles of the Catalan Statute of Autonomy. Spain's public prosecutor’s office also commented on the declaration and warned that the police have been called to investigate and denounce any "sedition crime" against Spain's government, referring to the Parliament's foreseen disobedience to the TC's resolutions.