Spain agrees to make 'direct financial contribution' to Catalan-medium schools in France

The Spanish government will make a "direct financial contribution" towards funding Catalan-medium schools in France, Etna Estrems, an MP for pro-independence Esquerra Republicana (ERC) announced in the Spanish Congress on Tuesday. 

This represents a "historic agreement," Estrems said, coinciding with the signing of the 'Pacte Nacional per la Llengua' (National Pact for the Catalan Language) in Barcelona.

"We’ve managed to get Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs moving," she added.

La Bressola in Northern Catalonia encompasses nine schools and more than 1,000 students and depends heavily on institutional funding, Estrems pointed out.

She stressed the effort made by ERC to protect the Catalan language as a central element of Catalan culture and identity.

According to ERC, the direct budget allocation from Spain's foreign ministry for La Bressola is in addition to the increased allocation that the party agreed with the Catalan government. Various local councils from the Girona region and other parts of Catalonia have also agreed to provide funding. 

A source from Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the agreement with ERC, saying that it will be used for "cultural activities in France" in response to existing demand.

They also pointed out that the department promotes the languages of Spain abroad through, for example, the Cervantes Institute.

The ministry has also committed to funding Catalan language teaching posts at foreign universities where there is demand.

La Bressola funding crisis

More than 1,100 pupils attend nine Catalan-medium schools in Northern Catalonia, a region in southeast France that was once officially part of Catalonia and still maintains strong cultural and linguistic ties with its southern neighbor. 

La Bressola, the Perpignan-based cultural organization that supports the network of schools, is facing a funding crisis – despite the growing demand for Catalan-language education – and has urgently called on French authorities for help. 

In January, the organization warned the Pyrénées-Orientales department and Occitania region of a "liquidity shortfall" looming from May, which would prevent schools from paying salaries. 

Thousands of people rallied in Perpignan in support of La Bressola in March.