Eleven months to double YES

Seemed to favor the parties to exercise self-determination exhausted until the end of the month deadline to agree on the date and the question of the independence referendum in Catalonia. But yesterday , CiU, ERC and ICV CUP surprised everyone by calling a press appearance solemnly announced that the consultation would be on 9 November 2014 with a double question : first , ' Catalonia wants to become a state ? ' Two answers : yes or no . And those who voted yes to the first question may be answering another : ' If so, you want this state to be independent ? ' We agreed the leaders of all groups in a meeting in the morning at the Palau de la Generalitat. The announcement opens a period of eleven months , which provide rapid and agitated , until the query is done , which yesterday received an overwhelming response from the Spanish government .

' Everyone who wants a change in the political status may vote and everyone who wants to be able to vote as an independent state , "said Artur Mas, who described the question very much inclusive majority .Mas thanked ' understanding, generosity , cooperation and sense of country " of all parties that had signed the agreement. ' We know that we have in the hands has a great historical significance and future very important. We had to live up to the occasion. '

A referendum on independence?

RISING tension between Madrid and Catalonia reached a new peak yesterday with the announcement by the Catalan president, Artur Mas, that he plans to hold an independence referendum on November 9^th next year. Flanked by leaders of parties that hold two-thirds of seats in the region's parliament, Mr Mas launched the biggest challenge to Spain's internal structure in recent history. The Catalans, he said, are “a people who want to decide for themselves on their own future”.

But those expecting Catalonia to follow Scotland, which votes in September on separation from the United Kingdom, into a formal and binding decision on independence must think again. Unlike Britain's prime minister, David Cameron, the Spanish prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, does not want a referendum or any other kind of vote that Mr Mas, who terms his proposal a “consultation”, might organise. The government of Mr Rajoy’s conservative Popular Party (PP) government can and will block it. “I guarantee this referendum will not happen,” Mr Rajoy said. He has the backing of Spain's main opposition party, the socialists, and will have the proposed referendum suspended by the constitutional court as soon as it is formally approved by Catalonia's government or parliament.

Mr Mas is expected to bow to the court's decision and, so, cancel the referendum. He can then be expected to declare that the next Catalan regional elections will be, in effect, a plebiscite on independence. But those elections might not be held until 2016. It is impossible to predict the result or what would happen afterwards, especially as the Madrid government may have changed by then. Spain's thorniest issue, in other words, will not be resolved for years.

The new stand-off takes the Catalan problem into uncharted waters. The vast majority of Catalans favour a referendum. But Spain's constitution from 1978 does not offer them a right to self-determination. Nor, insists Mr Rajoy, does it allow any kind of consultation or referendum that is not approved by Madrid.

Polls show that, in the space of just a few years, support for independence has shot up to 56%. But pollsters also see a significant number of waverers. Enric Juliana, an influential columnist of La Vanguardia, a Barcelona newspaper, says many Catalans fluctuate daily, waking up separatist and going to bed federalist. The latter is a solution proposed by Spain's socialists, but frowned on by Mr Rajoy. And even within Mr Mas's nationalist Convergence and Union (CiU) coalition there is a strong sector opposed to outright independence.

With his coalition divided, Mr Mas is increasingly dependent on the separatist Catalan Republican Left (ERC) party for support. ERC currently props up his minority government and would have forced elections if Mr Mas had reneged on his promise to call a referendum on independence next year. Polls also show that ERC is now more popular than CiU and could oust it from its historic position as Catalonia's most popular party. The independence row has fractured the Catalan political panorama, driving voters towards parties more clearly defined as pro or anti independence.

There is nothing like the word “no”, pronounced from Madrid, for inflaming separatist passions. And blocking the referendum does nothing to resolve the growing pressure from Catalans for a change in their relationship with Spain. Mr Rajoy has no plan for fixing the problem. The socialist proposal for constitutional reform to turn Spain into a federal country (a fix that suits some Catalans) would eventually require backing from the PP. Solutions, it seems, will have to wait until after a general election in 2015. In the meantime, the fractures appearing in Catalan society, and between Catalans and other Spaniards, will grow.

“It always seems impossible until it's done.”

The ERC deputy to the Congress Alfred Bosch has expressed "dismay" ERC for the death of Nelson Mandela. According to Bosch, ERC dobby endorses the "political and moral" of Madiba in space which refers to the path to freedom has to do with "generosity, courage, skill and determination."  

He cited the example of Mandela always tied its future to its people. Through a statement, Bosch pointed out that former South African has played a major cause of humanity, such as the fight against racial inequality. "Mandela is a totem, a symbol of man, a moral giant who has earned the respect of all mankind," he stressed.

Video denounces discrimination of Catalan in the Spanish constitution

Taking advantage of that December 6 is the day of the Spanish Constitution , the Platform for Language remember that this is the only constitution of the European Union does not recognize as a state official and the same level as any other language own the size and vitality of Catalan. Therefore, the video published in English ' Catalan and the official European Union languages ​​' that aims to explain Europe and the world have not because Catalan is the official language of the European Union .
This video is actually an adapted version of a revised and translated into Catalan first video released a few months ago . With this new version , the company wants to tell the world that in Europe and the exceptional treatment . The video will be sent to hundreds of international contacts , particularly in the ranks of the European Union , including the European Commission and the European Parliament. As mentioned at the end of the video, it is not surprising that many Catalans claim their own state to be recognized as Europeans with the same rights as the rest.

European liberals include the right to decide de Catalunya in his campaign for the European

The Party of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats approved a specific European manifesto for the right to decide the Catalans in their program for the next European elections . This is the first major international support getting the process for consultation in Catalunya , explicit support in the congress of the great European liberal family which was held in London from 28 to 30 November and you belong significant leaders, as the European economic commissioner himself , Olli Rehn and the secretary general of NATO, Anders Rasmussen ,
The adoption of this manifesto was produced by a specific amendment submitted by the delegation of CDC , training belonging to the alliance since 2005 and in which the Catalan leader Marc Guerrero was re-elected as vice president.
The alliance is made up of 55 European parties and their whole consists of more than 600 delegates . At the meeting last week, the first step was to choose the Liberal candidate for the presidency of the European Commission.
The whole decision comes after the youths of this political family recently noted its position in favor of the right to decide and that the party chairman, Graham Watson, also advise the Spanish government to " no longer live in the eighteenth century and that " the EU must be sufficiently strong and flexible" to allow the creation of new states within its borders .
Youths European liberal party ( LYMEC ) approved this November a resolution supporting the "right to decide stateless nations " , a proposal from the Nationalist Juventut de Catalunya ( JNC ) . In the text the option to resolve the political conflicts of stateless nations by voting and democracy recognized and explicitly invited Spain to follow the path of the UK with the Scottish referendum.

The president of the Liberal International calls on Rajoy to allow consultation Catalunya

The President of the Generalitat , Artur Mas , stressed on Monday the " conspicuous absence " of government proposals in the Catalan sovereignty debate, a situation which, in his opinion, " not understood " internationally.
The Catalan President has delivered the Trias Fargas Memorial Award , awarded by the Foundation Llibertat i Democràcia linked to CDC, Hans van Baalen , president of the Liberal International . After the speech of Hans van Baalen , who has defended the right to decide Catalans , But at a time when the parties should determine before the end of the year the question and date of consultation , has defended the sovereignty process to do " with rigor" , "firmness " and " serenity " to avoid " making a fool " .
In the same line that has been expressed Van Baalen , Mas has stated that the role model is the United Kingdom, which has authorized an independence consultation in Scotland in 2014 , as the Catalan government "does not impose" but " negotiate. " "It's logical" British Prime Minister David Cameron and Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to "defend the unity of his statements ," but " there is a difference" is that " the British left the Scots vote " has Catalan president said .
But he criticized that , in the current context , the Spanish State raises no proposals to be " attractive " to Catalonia: " The conspicuous absence of motion - bit state is internationally understood ," he assured . The Catalan chief executive has also claimed that Europe "does not spare anyone " and that Europe is the "natural home " of the Catalans.

The roadmap to independence

Twenty three thematic assemblies and strategic discussions on the future status Catalan are the skeleton of the meeting by the Popular Unity today is the Broad Institute 's Badalona and involved a thousand people. 

To this day , the organizers want to draw up a roadmap for independence shared by social movements , institutions and organizations with transformative and disruptive ; define the foundations of a new model of society we want , and what structures which model the social, economic cultural and would like to be discussed in the creation of a new state , as articulated struggles analyze the institutional counter and fight . 

' With the support of the CUP , the meeting was organized from a cridafet different figures and representatives from various social movements and trade unions, as Benedict Salellas , Eva Fernandez , Sergio Saladié Gabriela Sierra Xavi Sarria Julia de Jòdar , Marta Serra, Richard Vilaregut , Gerald and George Martin Pisarello Source . 

During the morning will be twenty assemblies on various issues related to territory , language , culture and social rights . At a quarter to two in the afternoon will present the ' rebel map of the Catalan Countries ' . After lunch it's time for strategic discussions between 16.00 and 20.00 on the roadmap to independence, the foundations of a new model of society and the articulation between fights . 

 Given the large number of entries , the organizers have planned that the debates can be followed live on the internet. In addition , the results of the discussions will be published later in the same site of the encounter .

Yes in a referendum consolidates above the 70%

Should such Catalonia held a referendum on independence, if we get 54.7 % of the vote , confirming itself as the preferred choice of the Catalans . Supporters are 22% , while the abstainers are below 16% . These data last barometer Opinion Research Center ( study PDF ) released yesterday. But as a referendum votes only count with data from CEOs and discounts abstentions , blank votes and undecided if they exceed the 71 % and not 29 % would not .

Given this distinction , in November 2012, 73.6 % would have voted yes to independence and 26.4 %, in February 2013, 72.6 % and 27.4% in June 2013 and a 70.4 % and 29.6 %.
The trend between it and did not stay for a year, the director of CEO , George Argelaguet , is attributed to the maturity of debate among citizens .
The evolution of yes and no in a referendum for independence is stable for more than a year. Those in favor of it are above 50% with peaks that reach 57 % in October 2012, after the first major manifestation of September Eleventh . In the third wave Barometer 2013 this support reaches 54.7 %. As for the not remains to 22.1 %. A lower percentage Argelaguet clarifies : " The referendum is called and no one knows exactly what would not question ." Two factors , he said, would help to further clarify the results of the question, although it is believed that there are any radical change .
Distribution suggests that most voters would support the ERC would be yes , that 94% would vote in favor of independence. 82% of the CUP and 81% of the CiU would also do the new independent state , in terms ICV , it would be the majority with 52.2 %, while 23% of ecosocialists vote no.
Among supporters , not PPS voters reject independence in 87% , the C 's by 84 % and 61% in the PSC . In the case of the PPC and the rest C 's refrain , but the PSC by 12.3% would vote yes .

The question of the ANC: 'Would you like Catalonia to be an independent state?'

National Secretariat of the ANC has published today the Declaration of November , his first solemn manifesto purely political concerns following the slowness of the process. The organization requires more precision and more courageous steps towards the exercise of self-determination and proposes , for example, a question for the consultation to be done , ' irrenunciablement ' , 2014 : ' Catalonia wants to be an independent state ? '

The statement read in Seva (Barcelona ), also considered ' inalienable ' that becomes a question about the political future of Catalonia in 2014 , preferably before 31 May 2014. In fact, believed to be called ' the moment when specifying the applicable legal framework . " With regard to the request of the Spanish parliament congress to organize the consultation, sercretariat says , ' can not be an excuse for delaying it . "

The declaration also calls for ANC unity among parties and decide in favor of the proposed law is made visible with a broad spectrum of socio-political candidacy "in the European elections on 25 May next , ' you may have the support of maximum number of political and popular movements ' .

The last point says that the ANC ' will closely follow the evolution of the situation and , if necessary, call for new protests guarantee the democratic right of citizens to be consulted . "

After reading the manifesto, the president of the organization, Carmen Forcadell insisted on some key points , such that " consultation is waived in 2014 ' and that the question should be clear and uniform , ' but should be on independence ' . He released : ' We hope that the parties and the institutions around them and demonstrate their commitment to giving a date and a clear question . '

' To move forward we have historical significance . To drive this country to demand political representatives and parties ' , he added : " The challenge before us , if only we will achieve together . We demonstrate courage and bravery . But we will succeed . '

The members of the Secretariat of the ANC who are considered ' essential moral authority ' to make a step forward and express their demands to the politicians . "We touch the scabs parties ' , said the sources consulted by the ANC VilaWeb before today's event Seva . The lack of understanding and exposure constant disagreements on key issues of sovereignty process ' are two of the issues that concern the organization , who believes that ' still prevails mass party interest above the interest of the country ' . ' It is also worrying - he said - the slowness with which the Lead lack of specificity in the steps required to exercise the right to decide . '

Need of Declaration of November

In a statement to announce the presentation of the Declaration of November at noon today Seva , the ANC explains his intentions : " Given the current political context , with the expectation that before the end of the in the announcement date and the question to ask the people of Catalonia and the European elections on 25 May on the horizon , the ANC considers necessary to disclose its stance on the challenges facing the country . '

I continued : ' In this sense, despite the feeling of uncertainty exists , the national secretariat will announce the Declaration of November , a seven-point document that transfers the calls that much of civil society and the almost two million Catalans who Via the Catalan part Eleventh of September last . '

Also show respect for each function : " While we respect the role that belongs to everyone , representatives of the ANC want to make it clear what the majority of Catalan society outcry regarding the consultation , the essential unit action between parties , institutions and civil society to address the process successfully , and European elections . '

The Catalan fiscal deficit and Sala-i-Martin on Russia Today

If independence, Catalonia win every year about 16,000 million. This is one of the conclusions of the article ' The dividend tax of independence ' , published last November by Xavier Sala-i- Martin , in the Wilson Initiative , which are also part Antràs Pol professors , Carles Boix , Jordi Gali , and Jaume Ventura Gerard Register . A few months ago the Catalan group The Project was summarized in a video outlining the arguments in this article. And now , the Spanish version of the Russia Today channel associated with the crisis and independence Catalan includes this video of The Project :

The presenter said the video and extracted the main figures , as 30% of the taxes paid Catalonia no end ever returning to the Principality , which translates into 16,000 million a year. And remember that the fiscal deficit of Catalonia suffers about Spain , which is 8 percent , the highest in the world. I figure compares with other cases, such as in Flanders , where it is 4.4% . At one point the program connects connects two economists .

Invite an economist associated with the FAES and Sala i MartínFirst, Angel de la Fuente , senior researcher of Institute of Economic Analysis and coauthor of the report of the FAES ' Tax Myth ', which is totally against independence and data provided by the video . And second , Xavier Sala -i-Martin explains that the data are perfectly transparent and that independence would be a solution to overcome the crisis both in Catalonia and to scare .

Junqeras threatens to "stop the Catalan economy" a week to press Spain

ERC threatens to drive a general strike if the government Spanish Catalonia does not reconsider its position and allows celebrate the query. " If we got to two million people to the streets ... who said we could not stop the Catalan economy for a week? " Oriol Junqueras raised in Brussels , at the end of a conference on the right to decide organized in Parliament European . "We also have our instruments ," warned Junqueras . The effects of a break in the Catalan economy would be felt throughout the state , he argues, and could affect the stability of financial markets .
" What is the impact on GDP Spanish ? What opinion have the Spanish debt creditors ? And what about the Spanish risk premium ? " Junqueras wondered at in his closing remarks . " All the institutions must decide whether the democratic principle prevails prevails performance or de facto by the state ," concluded the leader of ERC . During the conference , organized by the European Free Alliance parliamentary group to which they belong ERC , BNG and Aralar , among others , Junqueras has asked the EU to endorse the self inquiry from Catalunya claimed : " The Catalans are citizens of the EU and the EU needs to ensure respect for the democratic rights of its citizens. "
The right of self-determination has been in the twentieth century a " normal and customary law " that has been exercised , among others, by Western democracies as Norway, Ireland and Iceland , has argued . Republican leader has argued that it is legitimate referendum Catalans speak out regardless of what the Constitution says , because " no legal framework can coerce democracy." He warned that the state " can not prohibit indefinitely " the Catalans speak out , so eventually Catalonia will vote in a referendum first and parliamentary elections later or vice versa.

More successful balance in Israel excites the Spanish ambassador

With rabid Ambassador , Artur Mas took stock "successful " from his official trip to Israel before heading back to Barcelona . However, when they had finished the acts specified in the program, the Spanish ambassador , who repeatedly refused to comment to journalists and correspondents , sent a statement to the news agency EFE in Madrid to ridicule the president of the Generalitat .
" Our main challenge is to learn how Israel has managed to move the critical mass of knowledge generation to the supply chain of our country ," the president Mas. "We have research centers and highly relevant scientific basis , so now what it is to project the most , inside and outside Catalonia , applying the model of Israel."
In the four days of the trip, the president was accompanied by 30 Catalan companies technological and directors of major research centers that are self-financed the trip. They have signed five agreements with the four major universities in Israel , and also with the Israeli agency for research and development Matimop . With these agreements , the Government launched a program of scientific collaboration between the two countries with an investment of one million euros from each country.
At all visits the president was present Spanish Ambassador Fernando Carderera , and all any level meetings with Israeli counterparts Catalan representatives was a member of the Spanish embassy taking notes. Asked by the journalists , the ambassador declined to make public statements should not be considering taking a backseat to the president of the Generalitat , but privately told envoys and correspondents that " everything is going well as planned" . So did after the visit to the President of Israel , Shimon Peres , meeting at which at no time raised Mas concrete idea of ​​" statehood for Catalonia " as he admitted to reporters . " If you ask me , I say nothing ," reiterated the president .
Ambassador imposed the presence of the Spanish flag in the crown of the wreath at the Holocaust Museum and the president did not object Mas . Government sources reported that the president had been instructed to avoid at all costs any conflicting picture as that portagonizó Josep Lluís Carod -Rovira on the trip with the president Maragall . The thesis of the president of the Generalitat is based on " the most important thing is to give serious image " .
But even declared and publicly thank the collaboration of the Spanish Embassy in organizing the trip. When he finished the official program , the president said goodbye to the ambassador , that as he had to follow for a four-day marathon not hide his exhaustion : " You're under delivered." However, in the afternoon , the agency Efe , which barely covered the trip , issued a teletype dated Madrid, with a statement of clear intent derogatory ambassador : " With Peres spoke just five minutes ," said the ambassador. I left that Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia- Margalló that his department would "do everything possible" and would use " all available instruments " to prevent the sovereignist Catalan internationalized process . In fact, it happened after Mas trips to Russia and Brazil to Madrid pro-government media had not covered the trip proved disseminated information supplied false or distorted by the ministry.

Catalan surpassed the ten million people in 2012

The dissemination and advanced learning Catalan in 2012 despite a hostile environment and the Catalan language for the first time surpassed the ten million speakers . This is the main conclusion of the report prepared CRUSCAT network of the Institut d' Estudis Catalans, commissioned by Omnium Cultural institutions and Platform for the Language . The study was released Wednesday and it establishes that Catalan health worsens not only but " progress on the road to linguistic normality " . That means that in that year the numbers of speakers of Catalan increased to 10.1 million , representing 72% of the population of the Catalan language ( Catalan , Catalan-speaking area of the Valencian Community , Balearic Islands , Andorra , the French region of Pyrenees - Orientales and the eastern fringe of Aragon ) .

The report also notes that 12.8 million people claim to understand Catalan , which means 91.7% of the population, and 7.3 million say they can write it ( 52.6 % ) . The report notes , however , which remain " imbalances " between different areas studied .

According to Muriel Casals , President of Omnium Cultural , the report reveals that there are negative points are " obsessive result of a policy against Catalan". Casals has addressed deficiencies observed oral competition in Valencia and Alicante and has blamed certain policies of the Generalitat Valenciana .

The Report of the Catalan language situació , prepared for the sixth consecutive year in Europe also includes Catalan is a language that occupy the middle and sixteenth place of the languages ​​of the EU-27 as the number of speakers , and seventh position in terms of those who have it as a second or third language, according to the Eurobarometer 2012. He adds that in this geographical area has a strong attraction of new speakers , which ranked seventh .

'It is not lawful to stoke fear!' Article about Catalonia Bardo Fassbender in a Swiss newspaper

The Swiss newspaper Snow Zürcher Zeitung published an article by Bardo Fassbender , professor of international law, European law and public law at the University of St. Gallen (Switzerland ) on the process of independence of Catalonia . This paper outlines the consequences of Fassbender independence membership in the EU and analyzes the Spanish strategy to oppose the query. You 're invited excerpts :

' Before the end of 2014 , the Catalan regional government under President Artur Mas will hold a referendum on independence for the region , although the Spanish central government has rejected a referendum unconstitutional . Against the independence movement , however, has launched a compelling argument : an independent Catalonia would leave the EU " automatically ." A (re) inclusion in the Union, but , according to the EU treaties , should be agreed unanimously by all member states , including Spain , which certainly would refuse their consent , with disastrous economic consequences for the region. '' It is true that in the case of secession from Spain, Catalonia would not remain " automatically " in the EU. While Spain , despite the loss of territory and population , maintain their membership in the EU, Catalonia , despite its ancient condition of statehood until the eighteenth century , would , according to international law , a new state without binding contract with the EU. '' But Barroso incorrect positioning whereby Catalonia would be " any other state " at the time of joining the EU. Because the legislation set out in Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union ( TEU ) was written with a view to the accession of a third state "real" , that is, a state that until then had been outside the territory of the Union. 's ability to input a state that it was caused by the separation of a member state was not taken into account in the Treaty. Therefore , as in the case of the accession of Catalonia should take into account special circumstances , can only be taken as reference to Article 49 in that analogy . 'The EU legislation provides no basis for such sanctions as it does not prohibit secession. There is in any case on the separation of a territory of a member state , nor is silent on the question of an association of member states. Union " respects " safeguarding territorial integrity as a task of each member state , and in order to ensure the integrity of the outer Union itself . But it defends its citizens and peoples , each other , within existing state borders in the EU . '' Also European citizenship , which was introduced in 1992 in Maastricht , which dates back to the Treaty of economic freedoms and individual rights of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU, against the right to veto a unilateral commitment . Because the EU , as emphasized by the European Court in the judgment They Gender & Loos in 1963 , is a new legal international law "in the subject of law are not only Member States but also their individual " . Consequently, Community law confers on individuals rights which become part of their " legal heritage ." The Law of the European Union states that all people once they are carriers of these individual rights can keep them . '' It is incompatible with the " process of achieving ever closer union among the peoples of Europe" ( Preamble of the EU Treaty ) exclusion as punishment of a people who decide their independence through democratic procedures and constitutional . '' It is understandable that the EU institutions to support Spain as a member state in conflict with Catalonia . But we should expect that , if true independence of Catalonia , promote accession to the EU of the new country . Any other form of action could damage not only the goals and values ​​of the Union, but also lead , in view of the economic strength of Catalonia and its role as an investment destination and transit country , drawbacks for Member States of the EU. '

Junqueras disarms the 'moderate' in a debate on TVE

It seems that one of the strategies of those who are self-proclaimed 'moderate' process in relation to sovereignty is to sow doubts about the question to be decided by referendum on independence. To make clear the intentions of most sovereigntist, president of ERC Oriol Junqueras replied with three Twitter Status will this confusion. I made ​​it clear that ERC 'will not stand alone defending a clear question to answer explicit'. He also explained that grows together in his leadership and judgment that one who will be some old and new establishments'.

Besides these three Status, Junqueras participated in yesterday's debate Spanish Television and defended the right of self-determination for Catalonia and explained the reasons that lead to the majority of Catalans want independence.

ERC no està disposada a acceptar que la consulta no pregunti directament sobre la independència. El seu president, Oriol Junqueras, ho ha deixat ben clar aquest divendres a Navarcles durant una xerrada amb simpatitzants. 'Volem que quan parlem se'ns entengui. I si el que tenim davant és saber com convertim Catalunya en un país independent, la pregunta ha d'anar sobre la independència del nostre país', ha exclamat davant les cinc-centes persones que han omplert el teatre municipal. El líder republicà ha carregat directament contra les preguntes 'arbre', aquelles que inclouen diferents opcions de 'sí', i contra aquells grups que les defensen: 'ni arbres ni foscor. Volem que tothom ens entengui'. 

Brussels opens the round of international presentations of'' In a span of independence '

With over fifty submissions already made in all the Catalan Vincent Partal now begins a round of presentations in cities in other countries of his book ' In a span of independence ' .
The first will be on Wednesday in Brussels, the headquarters of the Space Catalonia -Europe . The presentation will be at seven in the evening , organized by the ANC and the act will also display their collective Charlemagne .
The second international presentations as lead director aparaulades VilaWeb in Luxembourg. The Grand Duchy presentation will be held on November 12 at an event organized by the Centre Catalan Luxembourg.
The third international presentations planned so far is the capital of Occitania in Toulouse . They take place on the seventh day of November and is organized by Radio Occitan and Catalan Centre Toulouse.

Graham Watson sees no problem with Catalonia EU membership

The President of the European Liberals, Sir Graham Watson, Liberal Democrat MEP for South West England and Gibraltar, whose cause is supported by the Catalan Government, is reported by VilaWeb to have stated that he sees no problem with independent Catalan membership of the EU:

“Spain is one of only five countries that have not yet recognized Kosovo, but I think we need to wake up and recognize that we no longer live in the eighteenth century. This is not a period of kings and nation states. It’s a period of people working together through their democratically expressed will, and that should be as clear to a Castilian as to anyone else.”

“The European Union has to be a sufficiently strong but sufficiently flexible entity to allow people to express themselves within it, and that may mean some changes to boundaries. But we are democrats, and if that is what the majority wants, then that is what must happen.”

As Secession Talk Swells in Catalonia, Business Leaders Remain Wary of Costs

SANT SADURNÍ D’ANOIA, Spain — Sparkling Cava wine has become an emblem of Catalonia as one of the strongest exports from Spain’s northeastern region. Over the last decade, annual shipments of cava have climbed about 50 percent, to 161 million bottles. 

Migrant workers in Freixenet’s vineyards.

Which is why cava’s producers show no desire to embrace the Catalan secessionist drive that is posing a serious challenge to Spain’s central government, led by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. 

Toni de la Rosa Torelló, whose family has owned its winemaking estate since 1395, said that “making the most representative product of Catalonia does not mean we want to be represented in this political debate.”

José Luis Bonet Ferrer, the president of Freixenet, the largest producer of cava, said, “Businessmen have the right to worry if politicians create tensions rather than seek dialogue.” 

The attitude of such Catalan executives matters because a key premise in the secessionist argument is that Catalonia, which accounts for almost a fifth of Spain’s economic output, would flourish economically if it broke ties with the rest of the economically lagging nation. Some businesspeople are not so certain. 

It is not just the cava vintners saying this, but also executives from the spectrum of industries that make up Catalonia’s 200 billion euro economy, roughly equivalent to that of Portugal. The region blends a powerful financial-services sector, led by the big bank La Caixa, with a strong industrial base that includes traditional sectors like car manufacturing as well as scientific research and medical technology. 

This week the Catalan regional government, led by Artur Mas, quantified exactly what it thought the central government owed Catalonia, in terms of insufficient investments and fiscal disadvantages: 9.4 billion euros, including 5.8 billion euros of infrastructure spending. 

In response, the central government said on Wednesday that it would soon publish its own set of figures to dismantle the Catalan claim that the region’s contribution to the national economy and its tax revenue is far more than what it gets back from Madrid. 

But with Spain expected to post economic data for the third quarter showing that it has finally emerged from a two-year recession — its second downturn since 2008 — Catalan businesspeople say they worry less about what Mr. Mas thinks Madrid owes his region and more about whether political instability could hamper Spain’s prospects of returning to precrisis growth levels. “In any diverse society, there are different points of view, but it’s clear entrepreneurs prefer to operate in a context of certainty,” said Salvador Alemany, the chairman of Abertis, which is based in the Catalan capital, Barcelona, and which is one of Europe’s biggest operators of toll roads and airports. “Consensus is always better than conflict.” 

Still, there has been little sign of consensus of late. In September, hundreds of thousands of pro-independence people joined hands to form a human chain across Catalonia. Following that show of force, Mr. Mas said Catalonia would forge ahead with plans to hold a referendum on independence next year, despite Madrid’s warning that such a vote would violate Spanish law.

Mr. Rajoy recently called on Mr. Mas to show “magnanimity” and drop the r

eferendum plan. Mr. Mas responded that it was instead for Mr. Rajoy to be magnanimous and give Catalans the right to vote. 

Catalans have long defended their ancestral culture and language. But secessionism shifted from fringe to mainstream political thinking a little more than a year ago after Mr. Mas failed to convince Mr. Rajoy that Catalonia should be allowed to reduce its contribution to a fiscal system that redistributes part of the tax revenues to other, poorer regions of Spain. Catalonia’s 7.5 million inhabitants represent 16 percent of the Spanish population. 

But Catalonia has also benefited from being part of greater Spain. For example, it was the 1992 Olympics — in part financed by the Madrid government — that helped transform Barcelona into one of Europe’s most visited cities, with more than seven million tourists a year, compared with one million before.

Some Catalan executives have clearly embraced secessionism, particularly members of the 100-strong business association called FemCAT, set up to help Catalonia “take its place on the world and European stage,” according to its 2004 founding manifesto.

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Do you understand why we do not stay in Spain?

Was announced like a surprise and finally was a nasty parody of what they can do. Thirty at most , fascists have concentrated on the six o'clock the square Bruc watched a spectacular consisting of police units Brim , a helicopter and several police patrols .

 

It's 2013 or 1936 ?

The organizer is very young Frente por España , a new training -right made ​​three weeks ago and made ​​according to their spokesmen for youth in Barcelona.

Thirty men and women , some with faces covered with symbols and all - Espanyol as flags , eagles have traveled the distance between Bruc Square and Avenida Maria Cristina Barcelona , chanting cries such as " Artur Mas the camera gas "," Red cabrón "," Immigration , Deportation , "" us engañan Catalonia is not Spain " or " Columbus was Spanish . "

 The protesters have had several clashes with neighbors outlining the rebuke from the balcony. In fact, some neighbors and verbally insulted others accompanied their complaints obvious gestures that touched obscenity .

 Half an hour after the march began . The thirty protesters and their megaphone have come to Montjuic . " Señor Urbano finalizamos ¿Where the Manifestation ? " He asked spokesman Frente por España . When they were informed that the site has assigned police have arrested a must read that will show the history of pacifism and sang the sun in the face . If not for the gravity of what they have got to say , it would have been a sad parody of horror .