A clear question, in stark contrast to the voluntary ambiguity with which the Catalan President, Carles Puigdemont, yesterday (or maybe not?) proclaimed the independence of the Autonomous Region from Spain: Puigdemont clarifies the confirmation of the declaration of independence and its entry into force"
The fate of Catalonia and the whole country will depend on the answer. After the announcement made this morning during the press conference held at the end of the council of ministers, the Premier Mariano Rajoy he confirms before the Madrid congress the intentions made known a few hours earlier before the journalists: the question posed to Puigdemont represents a first step towards the initiation of the by now notorious article 155 of the Constitution which will de facto suspend the autonomy of Catalonia. “The CDM agreed this morning to ask for confirmation from Catalonia on the declaration of independence”.
“What we are experiencing – continued the Iberian Prime Minister – has nothing to do with the political differences we experience every day in the management of a democratic country and a civil society. We are talking about an unprecedented attack on the foundations on which a democratic society is built".
“The Government of Catalonia has used its institutional position to fulfill an unfair and very dangerous attack against the institutions, against coexistence among citizens”.
Rajoy again reiterated the illegality of the October 1 referendum, by frontally attacking the regional leaders who "turned the Catalans against each other". The Premier listed in detail all the irregularities committed in the referendum consultation, a long list of violations which, by themselves, would be enough to invalidate the vote in any democratic country.
The one that isn't legal isn't democratic. The referendum was an episode to impose independence that few people want and nadie agrees #11Oct pic.twitter.com/DSnSyUDzST
— Mariano Rajoy Brey (@marianorajoy) 11 October 2017
The countdown starts today: within 5 days Carles Puigdemont will have to give an answer certain about the declaration of independence. If confirmed, the government will officially activate article 155 within a few days, subject to approval by the Senate where, however, Rajoy's Partido Popular can count on an absolute majority.
"The future and the return to institutional normality, as the whole world is asking of us, is in the hands of Carlos Puidgemont", said Rajoy, who added: "For my part, I have always been open to dialogue and I have always shown disposition to understand each other. If they had wanted to collaborate, they should not have called the elections in 2012 and the referendum".
After harshness, however, comes openness: if the Catalan leaders renounce secession and return within the limits of legality, dialogue will be able to reopen, giving way to a constructive relationship which in the near future could also lead to a modification of the Constitution (necessary because Catalonia obtains the fiscal and financial autonomy it has been asking for for decades). “In a situation like this one can undoubtedly dialogue, the mechanism of coexistence can be improved, but not that of existing institutions. A reform of the Constitution can also be set up, but only by following what the law provides.
It should be emphasized that two hours before the start of the Premier's speech in front of the Cortés, the leader of the socialist party, Pedro Sanchez revealed that he "has reached an agreement with Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to initiate a reform of the Constitution which, among other things, redefines the statute of Catalonia”. The PSOE secretary added that an ad hoc commission will be created which will work for six months. The conclusions of the technicians will then be submitted to Parliament.
She returned to the matter today too the European Commission. The vice president of the EU executive Valdis Dombrovkis said that Brussels "supports efforts to overcome divisions and fragmentation and ensure unity and respect for the Spanish constitution". "We have faith in the Spanish institutions, in Prime Minister Rajoy with whom President Juncker is in constant contact and in all the political forces that are working towards a solution within the framework of the Spanish constitution," he concluded.
“We must underline the need to respect the constitutional framework and the laws. And the call for dialogue to avoid unjustified and dangerous escalations must develop within the framework of the Spanish constitution and respect for the Spanish rule of law”. The premier said so Paolo Gentiloni in a press conference with his Albanian colleague Edi Rama, commenting on the situation in Catalonia.
