Brussels, 06/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - Artur Mas, the president of the Spanish autonomous region of Catalonia, is seeking the support of European leaders for holding a referendum on the independence for Catalonia, which is planned for 9 November next. At the beginning of January, he sent a letter to the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso and the heads of state and government of the 28 countries in the EU (as well as 45 non-EU countries) in this connection.
In his letter, Mas points out that a 65% majority in the Catalan parliament is in favour of holding a referendum asking Catalans if Catalonia should become a state and whether this state should be independent. The Spanish state has dismissed such an option, as well as the organisation of a referendum on the subject. The Catalonian president, however, reaffirms in his letter that he is eager to establish “a dialogue and agreement” with the Spanish central government and also identified at least five possible options for holding such a referendum without posing any legal or constitutional problems.
This is why he is seeking support at the highest European diplomatic level to “encourage a peaceful, democratic, transparent and European process”. On Friday 3 December, the letter was received by the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso. His spokesperson, Pia Arhenkilde, said that the president would answer the letter at an opportune moment. (MD/transl.fl)