Spanish and Catalan governments open channel for dialogue after stage of conflict – Terra Peru

The Spanish government and the autonomous region of Catalonia have opened a channel for dialogue after more than two years of conflict and institutional breakdown motivated by the independence aspirations of the Catalan nationalists.

The Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria, vice president and Catalan, Oriol Junqueras today gave continuity to the meeting last week maintained their respective presidents, Mariano Rajoy and Carles Puigdemont.

The decision of the Catalan nationalists in recent years to take steps towards independence through consultations considered illegal by the Constitutional Court made the contact between the two executives to nothing.

In this context, the region of Catalonia held elections last September and Spain did in December, resulting in a change in the regional presidency, which went from Artur Mas Carles Puigdemont, both from the same center-right party.

The new Catalan ruling met last week with Rajoy week, whose cabinet is in office pending new elections scheduled for June 26 and out came the decision to close an agreement on various issues of dispute about who has to exercise certain powers.

Thus have avoided going to the Constitutional Court for settling the differences and opened a channel of institutional dialogue.

Vice President Saenz de Santamaria acknowledged today that new climate with the Catalan government, with which – he said – hopes to work for the benefit of the Catalans.

Meanwhile, Oriol Junqueras admitted that there is a “thaw” in relations between the central government and Catalan and it is easier to talk now than a few months ago, but stressed that irreconcilable differences remain on issues such as independence, which do not give up.

The Spanish elections last December were very marked by debate over Catalonia, which governs a coalition of several pro-independence forces.

The lack of agreement on a new government between the Spanish parties makes foreseeable a repeat of the elections in late June.

Of the four major Spanish parties, PP (center-right), PSOE (Socialist) and Citizens (liberal) reject the independence hypothesis, while we (left) is in favor of a referendum defend self-determination in which the permanence of Catalonia in Spain.