Junts stand firm on 'break' with Socialists despite Spanish PM's proposals

"We are where we were." Junts have responded to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's announcement of a new package of measures by insisting the party is maintaining its "break" with the governing Socialists. 

Míriam Nogueras – the Congress spokesperson for the pro-independence party led by former Catalan President Carles Puigdemont – argued on Wednesday that the situation has not changed, despite Sánchez's proposal for a new decree law the previous day.

Speaking at a press conference at Junts headquarters in Barcelona, Nogueras said that it is now up to the Socialists and the Spanish government to make decisions.

"They have blocked the legislature with their repeated breaches of agreements." she said.

Junts criticized Sánchez for acting now on elements of their agreement that, Nogueras said, could have been fulfilled earlier. "It proves they were able to do it, but chose not to."

The Junts spokesperson did acknowledge however that the measures announced represent "important achievements."

New package of measures

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced a package of measures on Tuesday aimed at breaking the current deadlock with Junts per Catalunya.

The cabinet will approve a decree law containing several measures agreed with Junts that are still pending implementation, including changes to local government financing, support for landlords facing rental arrears, and tax deadline extensions related to business invoicing and digitalisation.

The decree law allows the government to enact measures immediately, without prior parliamentary approval, though they must be ratified by Congress later.

Sánchez's parliamentary majority is fragile, with the Socialist–Sumar coalition dependent on several other parties, including Junts.

The arithmetic has become even more complicated since last week, following the jailing of former minister and sitting MP José Luis Ábalos, who had continued voting with his former government colleagues.

"I don't deny the seriousness of the crisis we're in with Junts," the PM told Catalan radio station RAC1, after Puigdemont's party broke ties with the Spanish government over unmet commitments.

Asked whether he would hold an in-person meeting or phone call with Junts' leader Puigdemont – who remains living in exile in Belgium since the 2017 independence push – Sánchez said that "we're not at that stage right now."