Who is to blame for the failure of Barcelona's bid to host EMA?
'Up until October 1, Barcelona was the favourite,' Puigdemont says
Carles Puigdemont, Catalan president deposed by Mariano Rajoy’s implementation of Article 155, has accused the Spanish government of “dooming” Barcelona as a candidate to host the seat of the European Medicines Agency (EMA). “The success of Article 155: incarcerating civil leaders and the half of the legitimate government, force the other half into exile, eradicate self-rule and now we can add impoverishing the territory,” he wrote on his Twitter account, adding that, as regards the potential cities to welcome the new EMA headquarters, “up until October 1, Barcelona was the favorite. With violence, democratic regression and Article 155, the Spanish State doomed it.”
Puigdemont's remarks were supported by the Health minister, also in Brussels, Toni Comín. "The batons on October 1 were Barcelona's candidacy executioners," he said referring to the police violence during the referendum day.
Yet the Spanish Health minister, Dolors Montserrat, has said that Barcelona being eliminated is “one of the direct damages of the pro-independence movement in Catalonia.” In statements to the press after the elimination of the Catalan capital, deliberated on in Brussels, Montserrat said that Barcelona was “technically, the best candidate.” The Spanish government pushed very hard and in the same direction” of Barcelona getting the EMA, she said, adding that she thinks that “division and segregation don’t lead anywhere.
From unionist Ciutadans (C’s) party and conservative People’s Party, the blame also goes to the pro-independence roadmap. Albert Rivera, leader of C’s in Catalonia, put the responsibility for Barcelona being eliminated in the running to host EMA on the “separatist coup d'état."
Metges de Catalunya doctors union and the platform Barcelona Global -gathering businesspeople, enterpreneurs and other professionals- regretted the decision, but avoided blaming anyone. Barcelona's deputy mayor, Gerardo Pisarello, said the "political context" did not help without pointing anyone specifically. He said the city will go on working to make the most of each "opportunity" that might come up.