Highlights

Amadeu Altafaj to continue representing Catalan Government to the EU despite “absurd” court decision

ACN

Catalonia’s Supreme Court said that Altafaj, head of the Catalan Government Delegation in Brussels, cannot use the title of Permanent Representative to the European Union. The judicial decision came after a complaint by the Spanish Government, which considers that such a title can only be used by member state diplomats. “There is nothing against the Catalan Government having a representative to the European Union or my current role”, said Altafaj. The Catalan diplomat in Brussels described the case against his title as “absurd”. “I am representing the Catalan Government to the EU with more determination than ever”, he said.

Homs claims his sentence for organising the 9-N vote “has already been dictated”

ACN

The former Catalan Minister and Catalan Democratic Party (PDC) spokesman in the Spanish Parliament, Francesc Homs, testified on Monday before the Spanish Supreme Court. The politician is being investigated for co-organising the 9-N symbolic vote on independence in 2014. During his testimony the former Mminister stated that the consultation was “legal” because it “corresponded to the Catalan Parliament mandate”. Moreover, Homs claimed that the main Spanish institutions are not acting with autonomy but are rather “copycatting People’s Party interests”. “The sentence has been already been dictated” and “it is going to be condemnatory and not absolving”, said Homs with regret.

Former Catalan Minister Homs facing trial “for listening to people’s demands”, says Puigdemont

ACN

The former Catalan Minister and Catalan Democratic Party (PDC) spokesperson in the Spanish Parliament, Francesc Homs, is testifying this Monday in the Supreme Court for co-organising the 9th of November 2014 informal consultation on independence. The politician arrived at the Court accompanied by former Catalan President, Artur Mas, who, together with other Catalan Ministers, is also facing trial on charges of disobedience and perversion of justice. Homs has been summonsed “for listening to people’s demands and putting out ballot boxes” for the 9-N symbolic vote, the Catalan President, Carles Puigdemont, said with regret.

Spanish government won’t file criminal complaint against Catalan Parliament President - for now

ACN

The Spanish Government won’t file a criminal complaint against the Catalan Parliament’s President, Carme Forcadell, at least until Spain’s Constitutional Court decides on her suspension from office. After a reform passed by the People’s Party (PP) in 2015, the Court has the competency to dismiss public representatives and impose fines on them if they disobey a resolution. The Spanish Government filed a complaint against Forcadell over the declaration adopted by the Catalan Parliament last July that introduced a “democratic unilateral mechanism” to split from Spain. The Spanish Deputy Prime Minister, Soraya Sáenz de Santa María, stated this Friday that this is the “main procedure” for now.

Lack of Spanish investment in the Mediterranean Corridor linked to TP Ferro’s failure, says Catalan minister

ACN

The Catalan Minister for Planning and Sustainability, Josep Rull, has pointed to Spain’s lack of investment in the Mediterranean Corridor as the main cause for the collapse of TP Ferro, the concessionaire for the new high-speed (HS) railway between Spain and France. The number of trains circulating on the railway in 2015 was lower than expected. The estimations were 19,000 trains per year, but in fact only 800 trains used the infrastructure. “This is the result of the delay in the planned investments”, Rull said and regretted the "lack of interest" from the Spanish Government in a piece of infrastructure of "vital" importance for Catalonia.