Sources in Madrid told that the meeting will not take place due to a lack of time on Sánchez’s schedule, as the president will only be in the French city for one day, on Wednesday. The same sources said that the president’s agenda had already been “closed” when the platform’s letter asking for a meeting arrived.

In Strasbourg, Sánchez will attend a session of the European Parliament, meet with members of the “Spanish community” at the institution, such as MEPs and civil servants, and hold a press conference with chamber head, Antonio Tajani.

Lost opportunity for dialogue

The head of the platform, Slovenian MP, Ivo Vajgl, tweeted that he had received no formal response to the group’s letter, warning Sánchez that turning down the meeting would be “to lose the opportunity for the dialogue he defends.”

.@ivajgl: "As chair of the @EUCat_Dialogue, I requested a meeting with the Spanish PM @sanchezcastejon and have not yet received a response from him. It would be incomprehensible to dismiss the opportunity of the dialogue he says he advocates for"

— EU-Catalonia Dialogue Platform (@EUCat_Dialogue) January 14, 2019

Some 30 MEPs from a variety of political parties and countries jointly asked for the meeting with the Spanish president to discuss Catalonia’s situation, calling it of “utmost importance” that Sánchez understand the deep concern the political conflict has caused in the EU.

MEPs from across political spectrum

Among the members of the EU-Catalonia Dialogue Platform are representatives from social democrat, liberal, green, socialist and conservative parties, from such countries as Slovenia, France, Ireland, the UK, Italy and Belgium.

The platform also includes Catalan MEPs, Jordi Solé  and Josep Maria Terricabras (ERC) and Ramon Tremosa (PDECAT), as well as Basque representatives, Izaskun Bilbao (PNB) and Josu Juaristi (Bildu).

The group’s aims include calling for the release of “the political and social leaders who are in prison” the “mediation” of European institutions in the Catalan conflict, and a “negotiated agreement between Spain and Catalonia that should end in a binding referendum.”

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