Bilateral meeting with Spain ‘disappointing,’ says Catalan government

The Catalan government has described the much-awaited bilateral commission summit with Spain as “disappointing" and “a bit frustrating.” It  took place on Wednesday in Barcelona for the first time in seven years.

The meeting was marked by great discrepancies between both executives, primarily regarding Catalonia’s right to self-determination and the situation of pro-independence leaders in jail and abroad.

After an encounter that lasted more than four hours and that some parties described as “harsh,” the Spanish delegation, led by territorial policy minister Meritxell Batet, ruled out agreeing on a referendum and rejected the creation of a working group to discuss the issue.