Exiled Catalan president Carles Puigdemont has given a forceful response to the umpteenth refusal of the Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, to the holding of a referendum on self-determination in Catalonia.
"Some are surprised that Pedro Sánchez says he will not accept a referendum and that he is proposing an impossible path. We have been down this road before, and we have always received the same response. Can we draw conclusions already and start preparing the alternative to the intransigence of the [Spanish] state?" he tweeted.
"There will be no referendum on self-determination unless they manage to convince three-fifths of Congress. The PSOE will never accept this kind of development." That was the blunt response of Sánchez in an appearance before Spain's Congress of Deputies to explain the granting of pardons to the pro-independence political prisoners. It was his promise to those who may have "reservations" about releasing the Catalan leaders. He also assured that "it will be applied whenever necessary." Thus, the Spanish PM started his appearance before Congress standing up for "the integrative spirit of the Constitution", which is based on "dialogue" and "concord".
Pedro Sánchez addressing the Spanish Congress. / EFE
This proposal from Puigdemont clashes, however, with the roadmap established by ERC, which agreed with the CUP party to give the dialogue table a two year opportunity to bear fruit. However, in both this agreement and in ERC's deal with Junts it is stated clearly that dialogue will not stop preparations for a subsequent "democratic struggle". For the CUP, this must translate into holding a referendum before 2025 and having the strength to implement the result.
President Quim Torra has expressed the same opinion, noting that Sánchez's approach has been the status quo for 300 years, in reference to the Bourbon conquest of Catalonia in 1714. "Pedro Sánchez's approach is Spain's historic approach. It has lasted 300 years, whether from the right of conquest or the constitutional cage. When you change the perspective and the national sovereignty lies in the constituent people of Catalonia, everything changes. That is when a nation exercises self-determination," he wrote.
Aragonès calls for preparation
This statement by the two former Catalan presidents came just a few hours after the current president Pere Aragonès announced his intention to convene pro-independence parties and groups to put together a National Agreement for Self-Determination and an Amnesty. "The Catalan side must be well prepared," he said.
Thus, despite the Sánchez government's refusal to negotiate a possible referendum, Aragonès's conclusion is that "the stronger the Catalan side, the more progress can be made."
Meanwhile, he also said there were other alternative routes to an agreed referendum, like that of Article 150.2 of the Constitution, which could be viable if there is an "open mind".
Main image: Junts president and MEP, Carles Puigdemont / Photo: ACN