During a press conference to the Catalan Delegation to the EU on Saturday 28 July, when he returned to Germany, where he had been detained for four months, the former separatist President of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont, did not mince his words when it came to the Union's silence regarding the Catalan crisis.
Questioned by the press about the European institutions' attitude to Catalan independence, the former leader did not attempt to conceal his bitterness and stated, “I am very disappointed by the European Union leaders’ response. Not so much by their opinion regarding Catalan independence but rather, by their silence regarding the violation of fundamental rights”. He pointed out that the demand of those seeking independence is, above all, a demand “in favour of democracy”. The centre-right politician insisted that “Europe is not just a construction undertaken by states, policies and politicians… it is also a construction by its citizens”.
Even during the peak of the crisis (see EUROPE 11880), the European Commission always refrained from making any declarations - with the exception of the controversial idea expressed by its President, Jean-Claude Juncker during an interview on Euronews (see EUROPE 11863) -, that stuck clearly to the so-called “Prodi” doctrine, according to which any declaration of independence must be made in compliance with the constitutional framework of the member state concerned.
It should be pointed out that the “deferred” unilateral declaration of independence in October 2017 was rejected by the Spanish Constitutional Court (see EUROPE 11900) and invalidated by the Venice Commission (see EUROPE 11870).
Making the struggle international
Mr Puigdemont explained, notwithstanding, during his speech that this return did not mean the end but the beginning of his struggle for Catalan independence. The separatist politicians hammered home the message that “I will continue travelling in Europe and my journey to defend the just cause of Catalans, democracy, freedom and self-determination”. He believes that the release of pro-independence politicians, both men and women, who have been imprisoned in Spain, is also a priority. “I am, therefore, a free European, not only in the EU but in the world… except in Spain… I will therefore take action within the framework of this freedom the EU has given me to talk, travel and act as a free man, with my political ideas and responsibilities and without the need to request asylum”.
An initial timetable has been drawn up for the politician: on 11 September, the National Day of Catalonia and on 1 October, the first anniversary of the Catalan referendum vote. The 4 September will also be an eagerly awaited date by Mr Puigdemont: the Judge at the Supreme Court, Pablo Llarena, who is examining the Catalan independence case and against whom Mr Puigdemont has filed a complaint regarding the former's partiality and obstinacy, has been requested to appear before a Belgian court, despite the fact that this request is unbinding. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansen and Sophie Petitjean)