catalan minister

Catalan lecturers protest against new school calendar, imposition of 25% of lessons in Spanish, and education curriculum changes

Prosecutors give up on further legal challenges after Brussels court upholds refusal of arrest warrant

4 people have been blinded in one eye and 14 have been hospitalized as a result of turmoil following sentencing of pro-independence leaders

Campaign to finance her defence raises more than double target amount in a few hours

Carles Mundó says Catalan officials feel very supported and “connected to the people”

Government vows to go ahead with acquisition claiming it is legal

The Catalan photographer who contributed to the Nuremberg trials with more than 20,000 photographs

Catalan Minister Josep Rull calls for "excellent rail infrastructure" to boost the productivity of the Mediterranean ports

The Catalan Government will guard geographer and journalist Gonzalo de Reparaz Rodríguez-Báez’ legacy, which was seized in 1939 and has been stored at the Spanish Civil War Archives since then. The Catalan Minister for Territory and Sustainability, Josep Rull, thanked Reparaz’s family for trusting the Catalan Government and praised their years of “judicial struggle” to recover the documents, and therefore part of its family’s history. Rull emphasized Reparaz’s contribution “to explaining the Catalan cause to Europe” and his “commitment to freedom and democracy”. Reparaz established himself in Barcelona in 1921 and came into contact with many representatives of Catalonia’s political and cultural life.

Ireland’s ‘Houses of the Oireachtas’ will create a friendship group on Catalonia in order to get a deeper understanding of its political situation, as well as enhancing trade relationships and promoting cultural exchange. The initiative gathers together members of the Irish Assembly and the Senate representing Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, and Sinn Féin, the main parties in the bicameral parliament. Thus, Ireland is following the example of other countries such as the United Kingdom, Finland, Switzerland, and Estonia, who also have discussion groups on Catalonia. Catalan Minister for Foreign Affairs, Raül Romeva, will travel to Dublin on Wednesday to attend the presentation of the cross-party group and explain Catalonia’s referendum roadmap to the participants.

Catalonia’s Public Prosecutor has presented a lawsuit against Catalan Minister for Public Administration, Meritxell Borràs, for initiating the process of buying ballot boxes for the referendum. The complaint, ordered by Spanish Public Prosecutor, José Manuel Maza, has been presented before the High Court and also includes the department for Public Administration’s General Secretary, Francesc Esteve, and all those “whom could be found responsible during the investigation”. The Prosecutor considers that simply beginning the purchase of the ballot boxes is against the Spanish Constitutional Court’s (TC) rulings and thus accuses Borràs and Esteve of perversion of justice, disobedience, and embezzlement.

Catalonia may host the logistics hub for Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba for Southern Europe. According to Catalan Minister for Business Knowledge, Jordi Biaget, “no decision has been made yet” but the negotiations are already in the final stages. Although Alibaba is also considering France for the installation of its logistics center, the Catalan Government is working closely with the company so that Catalonia could be the chosen destination. Indeed, last February Baiget met with Alibaba’s board during a commercial mission to China and Hong Kong organized by the Catalan Government. Baiget also explained that the Catalan executive is analyzing more than 300 possible business investments in Catalonia.

Catalan Minister for Foreign Affairs, Raül Romeva, traveled to Lebanon to assess the Catalan cooperation projects which are being carried out there. Indeed, the Government is involved with 17 projects in the country in cooperation with several NGOs, the UN, and the Lebanese authorities. “We want to collaborate in building the necessary response to tackle the crisis in the Mediterranean,” said Romeva and added that “society is demanding” that Catalonia reaffirm its commitment with the refugees. Romeva made these statements after visiting the refugee camp and medical center in Halba, a village located in the Akkar area, next to the Syrian border, where 35% of the population are refugees.