During the first working session of the European summit on Thursday 19 October, European Council President Donald Tusk said that there was "no space" for "any kind of mediation or international initiative" in the Catalan crisis.
"Our position, I mean institutions and member states, is clear: there is no room, no space for any kind of mediation or international initiative, or action", Tusk stated. "And I don’t expect a wide discussion or debate about the situation", he added, over dinner. And to drive the point home, he stated: "We have all of us our own emotions, opinions, assessment – but formally speaking, there is no space for EU intervention here".
European Parliament President Antonio Tajani, who had expressed a clear-cut position in response to Spanish MEPs (see EUROPE 11858), went still further: "Everything must be done in respect of the rules and law because nobody in the European Union would recognise the independence of Catalonia".
The same line was expressed among those EU heads of state and government who spoke about the subject: the Catalan crisis is above all a domestic issue which must be settled by Spain, in respect of the law and national constitution. "This European Council will be marked by a message of unity – unity around our member states in the face of the crises they may experience, and unity around Spain", France's President Emmanuel Macron stated.
Slovenia's Prime Minister Miro Cerar rejected any comparison between the Catalan situation and that of Slovenia at the time of its independence. "The situation in Catalonia at the moment is completely different. Spain, Catalonia included, is a democratic country", he said.
Catalan calls for international mediation have been disappointed. Not believing he has received a clear response from Catalonia's leaders on their declaration of independence, Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has called a special council of ministers on Saturday 21 October in order to speak about possibly taking control of police, political and financial powers in Catalonia (by triggering Article 155 of the Constitution). Catalonia's President Carles Puigdemont has threatened Madrid with a formal declaration of independence if the Spanish government does not begin dialogue and continues with a policy that is described as repressive. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)