Catalan government proposes independent mediation committee to Spain

The Catalan government proposed launching an independent mediation committee to find a way out of the current political situation in the meeting with members of the Spanish executive last Thursday in Barcelona. This is what the Catalan vice president, Pere Aragonès, explained on Monday in an interview with the public radio broadcaster.

According to him, the Spanish government “took note” of the proposal without accepting or rejecting it. “We did not propose any names, it would be a good tool because we need to move forward,” said Aragonès.

He also said that this mediation should contribute first to the current dialogue, but also to “negotiation” and then “vote,” referring to the aim of the Catalan government, which is an agreed referendum on self-determination. So far Spain has always rejected a mediation by a third party in the Catalan independence crisis.

Aragonès assessed positively the meeting with the Spanish authorities in Barcelona, saying that there is now consensus that there is a conflict “which needs a political response ratified by citizens.”

More dialogue in January

For him, the open dialogue needs now to be “structured” so that both parties can move forward to find a way out. He said that this will happen from January onwards.

After their meeting on Thursday, the Catalan and Spanish presidents reassured their commitment to dialogue and pledged to find a “political proposal with widespread support” for the Catalan independence crisis. They also confirmed a new meeting for January.