President Torra asks Spain to negotiate a referendum and an amnesty for jailed leaders

Madrid wants the Catalan government to clarify if the negotiation table will be held before elections are called

Catalan president Quim Torra (by Mariona Puig)
Catalan president Quim Torra (by Mariona Puig) / ACN

ACN | Barcelona

August 6, 2020 02:05 PM

Catalan president Quim Torra has urged the Spanish government to negotiate a referendum on self-determination and an amnesty for pro-independence leaders.

As the date when both executives will resume the monthly meetings remains unclear, the spokesperson for the Spanish government has urged Torra to clarify whether he wants to sit at the negotiating table before or after calling a new election.

After years of political tensions between Madrid and Barcelona, the two governments reached an agreement last February to hold monthly meetings to discuss their political differences over Catalonia's independence aspirations.

However, the arrival of the coronavirus pandemic left the negotiating table up in the air after just one meeting.

While both governments said they were planning to resume talks in July, the date for the next meeting remains unknown.