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Catalonia warns Madrid that a “point of no return” might be reached in the relationship with Spain

CNA / Patricia Mateos / Gaspar Pericay

Since the Spanish Deputy Minister for Budget threatened to intervene in Catalan budgetary affairs and in response to the recentralisation debate, the Catalan President, Artur Mas, sent a public warning to the Spanish Government and politicians in Madrid. Mas emphasised that “a point of no return” might be reached if the Spanish State puts obstacles on the Catalan Government’s financing. He also threatened that, if Spain takes action, Catalonia will react.

January 21, 2011 10:38 AM

The Catalan Government’s budget will be 10% smaller in 2011

CNA / Patricia Mateos / Gaspar Pericay

The President of the Catalan Government Artur Mas said that his Cabinet would reduce the Government’s budget for 2011 by 10% in order to cut public deficit. Speaking at the Catalan Parliament today, Mas accused the Spanish Government of not having paid 1.000 million euros last year as agreed. “It is very easy to cut their own deficit by creating deficit to other administrations”, he emphasised.

January 20, 2011 03:54 PM

Madrid questions the Autonomous Community model

CNA / Gaspar Pericay Coll

In the last few days, a series of declarations by Spanish leaders put some dark clouds over the future of the Autonomous Communities model, a cornerstone of the current Spanish Constitution. The People’s Party (PP) shot first, claiming for more centralism, and the Spanish Socialist Party did not want to be left behind. Today, Prime Minister Zapatero showed up by surprise at the Senate to defend the current model.

January 19, 2011 10:08 PM

From now on the Catalan language will be used in the Spanish Senate

CNA / R. Pi / G. Pericay Coll

For the first time in the post Franco era, Catalan, Basque and Galician will be spoken at the Spanish Territorial High Chamber’s plenary sessions. Although the languages will still be banned in the Government’s control sessions at the Senate, from now on they will be allowed in the Senate’s regular plenary sessions. Although these languages are official in many parts of Spain, up till now, only the Spanish language was permitted to be used in the Senate. Using these other official languages in Spanish-level institutions like the Senate is an historic claim from a wide range of Catalan society.

January 19, 2011 12:28 AM

Catalan Government feels “strong” after the Spanish State’s threat to intervene in Catalonia’s budget

R. Pi / X. Alsinet / G. Pericay Coll

In an interview with the Financial Times this weekend, the Prime Minister Zapatero threatened to intervene in some Autonomous Communities’ budgets. Today the Spanish Secretary for Economic Affairs reiterated this threat. However the Catalan Government has stressed that Catalonia has in fact no problem with its public deficit. Catalan political parties reminded the Spanish State that the Autonomous Communities only have one sixth of the entire public debt throughout Spain.

January 18, 2011 11:56 PM

The Mediterranean railway corridor, linking Algeciras with Stockholm, must be a European priority

CNA / Raquel Correa

Politicians and businessmen from Catalonia, Valencia, Murcia and Andalucía participated today in an event pushing for the so called Mediterranean Railway Corridor for freight and passengers. They push the European Union to declare it a European priority, an axe that would vertebrate Europe, from Gibraltar to the Baltic Sea. However, participants criticised that the Spanish Government has yet to show its commitment to building freight railway with European-standard width that would connect Andalucía, Valencia and Barcelona to Central Europe. Besides goods, the corridor should also count with a high-speed train connection for passengers.

January 12, 2011 11:06 PM

The next Catalan Government’s budget for 2011 will be “clearly smaller” than last year’s

CNA / P. Francesch / G. Pericay Coll

The new Catalan Government announced today that the budget for 2011 (currently the 2010 has been extended) will be ready within the next 4 months and approved before the summer break. The Government’s Spokesperson, Francesc Homs, said that for the first time, the budget will be “clearly smaller” than the previous year’s. In addition, the new Government asked for an external audit on the Catalan public administration’s finances.

January 11, 2011 10:35 PM

Spain will recognise South Sudan’s independence, but not Kosovo's

CNA / Raquel Correa

If South Sudan citizens finally vote for independence, the Spanish Government will respect it and recognise their independence. However, the Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trinidad Jiménez, announced that Spain would not review its stance on Kosovo. The Balkan country declared its independence from Serbia in 2008 but Spain is one of the 5 EU Member States that still refuses to recognise it.

January 11, 2011 10:21 PM

ETA declares a “permanent” ceasefire, in “general terms” and internationally “verifiable”

CNA / P. Francesch / G. Pericay Coll

The Spanish Government states “it’s good news but not THE news” it was waiting for. The Socialist Party, the People’s Party and most of the Spanish opinion leaders insist that ETA’s only way out is through its own total disarmament and dissolution. The President of the Basque Government affirmed that he “would not allow ETA to dictate Basque Country’s future”. However, he underlined that ETA’s statement means that the terrorist group acknowledges the inevitability of its demise. CiU and other Catalan parties are optimistic but prudent.

January 10, 2011 11:01 PM

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