21.10.2019 - 07:33
|
Actualització: 21.10.2019 - 09:33
Three calls, zero answers. Catalan president Quim Torra called Spain’s acting president Pedro Sánchez three times over the weekend but was unable to speak to Sánchez. The only answer from the Spanish government is that Torra must unequivocally condemn the violence that has taken place throughout Catalonia, which he already did on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Spanish interior minister described the unrest in Catalonia as a “strictly public order problem” and not a political problem.
Several international media have stressed the fact that Spain “dismisses” again the Catalan calls for dialogue after a week of protests:
The Spanish government dismissed calls on Saturday from Catalonia's regional president to negotiate as thousands of mostly peaceful protesters took to the streets of Barcelona for a sixth day.https://t.co/7X65i1dN0I
— DW News (@dwnews) October 20, 2019
Appels au calme et au dialogue en Catalogne https://t.co/NHTjCALtAF
— Le Monde (@lemondefr) October 19, 2019
Spain dismisses call for Catalan talks amid violent protests https://t.co/bAI2yXe9hw pic.twitter.com/BE2zOP4RkR
— Al Jazeera Breaking News (@AJENews) October 19, 2019
Catalonia president Quim Torra has called for talks with the Spanish government after a fifth consecutive night of violence https://t.co/75bPNAGMfL
— CNN International (@cnni) October 19, 2019
Spain’s inaction and incapacity to tackle the Catalan issue, offering a political solution to what is obviosly a huge political problem, comes from afar. In June 2017, the think tank of German chancellor Angela Merkel’s party already stated that “the situation in Catalonia is a political challenge that cannot be solved only by appealing to existing constitutional laws and regulations” (PDF in German).
More recently, Merkel showed concern about the political crisis between Catalonia and Spain during the European Popular Party meeting in Brussels last Thursday. “What’s happening in Catalonia?”, Merkel asked Spanish PP leader Pablo Casado. “In Spain we have the rule of law”, he answered according to various Spanish media.
