He only had ten minutes to talk and decided to get to the point. The ‘president’ of the Generalitat, Pere Aragoneswent to the Senate this Thursday to defend the amnesty and has taken advantage of the intervention to warn that the conflict between Catalonia and the rest of the State will not only be resolved with the exoneration of all causes linked to the ‘procés’. In his opinion, the amnesty is only “a starting point” and he warned that the conflict will remain very much alive until Catalans can decide on their political future by voting. To give it all possible solemnity, this phrase has been saved for the end: “Catalonia will vote in a referendumI am convinced of it.”
As he had little time to explain himself, the initial structure of his speech has been the same one that he has been developing since the general election night. Explain ad nauseam the three conditions that it sets CKD to unravel the investiture: amnesty, self-determination and social improvements in two large areas, that of financing and the comprehensive transfer of Rodalies. It was a question repeated a hundred times – at least – but with the difference that this Thursday the debate in the Senate gave it more focus than ever.
This is the great reason why Aragonès has decided this Thursday to go to the Senate despite the fact that the debate smacked of the PP’s conniving. Being able to give a projection to your message that, until now, had had difficulties in being heard. As the Generalitat had already advanced, the ‘president’ has not stayed to listen to the rest of the regional presidents. He spoke first and left. Between the time he left the camera stand and got into the car, not a minute has passed. For Aragonesemission accomplished.
But even if the message was not entirely new, the objective of the ‘president’ has been to make it very clear that the amnesty is “essential” to advance in the solution of the problem, but that no one can consider the ‘procés’ file buried. His determination is that sooner or later there will be a referendum based on “will, perseverance and democracy.” Unlike other unilateralist phases of the ‘procés’, on this occasion he has promised that his objective is to do it with “the outstretched hand”. Like Scotland, where an agreed referendum was held in 2014.
Against the PP
Like the Government, the PSOE and Lendakari Inigo Urkullu have decided to be absent from the debate considering it a “partisan” maneuver of the PP, for Aragonès it was also a golden opportunity to fight a duel with the popular ones. The ‘president’ has accused the party of Alberto Núñez Feijóo to “stir up anti-Catalanism” with the sole objective of “wearing down the adversary.” “The PP does not care what you think Catalonia nor the Catalans,” he lamented.
From here he has made a long list of reproaches that always began with the same catchphrase: “If the PP cared about Catalonia…”. Thus, for the president’if the popular people had even the slightest interest they would worry about “the fiscal deficit“, for the “bad service” of Rodalies or for promoting Catalan. It has gone back to 2006, when the popular people collected signatures against the Statute, and he has reproached them for not protesting against Aznar’s amnesty that affected those convicted of corruption or by State terrorism.
Grandson of Andalusians
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Not only has there been time to launch warnings about the referendum or criticizing the PP. The ‘president’ has also taken advantage of his intervention to try to demonstrate that the referendum or the defense of Catalonia As a nation it was not a mania of a few Catalans. He has presented himself as a “grandson of Andalusians” whose grandparents spoke to him in Catalan, convinced that it was the best way to be part of the society to which, some time ago, they had arrived. He has also been convinced that there are “brotherly ties“with the rest of the State because there is”many citizens” who “love and appreciate” Catalonia and its demands.
Before entering the debate room, the ‘president’ met with the senators of CKD and of EH Bildu and also with the new delegate of the Government in Madrid, Joan Capdevila. Once inside, she sat next to the president of the Government of Galicia, Alfonso Rueda. They exchanged a few words before starting, but they didn’t have time for much more. Aragonès was the first to speak and, when he finished, he left.