New foreign minister to go to Brussels on first official trip
While in European capital, Alfred Bosch will meet government delegates abroad, MEPs and former president Carles Puigdemont
dialogue
Catalan parties agree to further meetings despite discrepancies
Summit boycotted by most belligerent unionist and pro-independence parties
Prison demands 'destroy hope' for dialogue, says EU-Catalonia Platform
The Spanish prosecutor recommended Catalan leaders be sentenced to 177 years in prison total
MEPs wear yellow to demand release of Catalan leaders from jail
41 Members of European Parliament from some 15 member states wore yellow T-shirts in the chamber vote
Seven challenges ahead for Torra’s cabinet
Road to independence, dialogue with Madrid and dealing with the impact of Spain’s latest harsh measures will be the hottest topics, along with catching up with day-to-day governance
Jailed Catalan leaders ‘victims of revenge,’ relatives tell European Parliament
“I married a pacifist and now he is in jail accused of rebellion,” says deposed minister’s wife
The EU-Catalonia Dialogue Platform calls for 'unconditional lifting of direct rule'
A group of MEPs meet Carles Puigdemont in Berlin to analyze the current political situation
Juncker insists dialogue is needed in Catalonia to solve crisis
European Commission president says mediation would only be possible if Spain asks for it
'We call for release of political prisoners,' says EU-Catalonia Dialogue Platform spokesperson
Italian MEP Eleonora Forenza criticizes “lack of action” from Europe in interview with Catalan News
'It's shocking so few people are ready to speak out,' says EU-Catalonia Dialogue Platform
Spokesman of new group of MEPs says Spain wants to "humiliate" Catalan leaders by imprisoning them
Mayor of Barcelona urges 'real dialogue, not through letters'
Ada Colau blames Spanish president Mariano Rajoy for asking Catalan leader to "surrender"
The Elders NGO, chaired by Kofi Annan, voices concern at violence in Catalonia
The independent peace activism organization calls for peaceful resolution through dialogue
Spanish king takes on the Catalan government and makes no call for dialogue
Felipe says that authorities in Catalonia are “fracturing” society, but makes no comment on the police violence
Conservative MEP calls for “mediation” between Catalonia and Spain and considers Forcadells' prosecution a "very hard" reaction
MEPs from different parties have criticized the way the Spanish State has used the court to tackle Catalonia’s pro-independence aspirations, particularly this week as the Parliament’s President, Carme Forcadell, and other members of the Chamber’s Bureau have been brought to court for allowing a debate on independence in the Parliament. According to Sinn Féin’s MEP, Matt Carthy, the Spanish State is “undermining its reputation across Europe” by taking public representatives to court. In a similar vein, European People’s Party MEP, Sipra Pietikäinen, said the reaction from the Spanish judiciary was “very strong” and called for “mediation” instead to overcome the current deadlock. Slovenian MEP Igor Soltes also criticized the EU role regarding these kinds of conflicts and lamented that “sometimes it is easier” for EU institutions to intervene “in foreign countries” such as Venezuela rather than doing so in Catalonia.
Catalan Government will ask for international support if the referendum result is ‘Yes’
Catalan President, Carles Puigdemont, said that the Government will ask for the international community’s support in order to implement the referendum result if the people vote ‘yes’ to Catalonia’s independence. In particular, he emphasized the need to get the EU’s attention and pointed out that if Catalonia’s moves towards independence, Europe will stop being Spain’s “errand boy”. Puigdemont admitted that no international recognition has been requested so far. Instead, the Government has just organized a campaign to explain the Catalans’ demands to the world. The Catalan President insisted that the ballot boxes will be put out in September and added that the only way for the Spanish Government to prevent the referendum from happening is “by opening a dialogue and agreeing on an alternative date”.