Catalan Ministry for Foreign Affairs proves Catalonia’s “unequivocal will to become a state”

Barcelona (CNA).- The Catalan Minister for Foreign Affairs Raül Romeva described the recently created Catalan Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Institutional Relations and Transparency as Catalonia’s “first structure of state” and assured that it proves Catalonia’s “unequivocal will to become a state”. The pro-independence cross-party list ‘Junts Pel Sí’ top member and former MEP aims to “increase Catalonia’s visibility as a global actor” and “break the silence” which the EU institutions have kept in relation to Catalonia’s political process and the Spanish government’s refusal to hold a referendum. “Our action must be regarded as an investment, rather than a cost” he stated, addressing Spain’s pro-unity parties. During his appearance in Parliament, Romeva also wanted to stress that “those who defend a new state reached the majority in this chamber in the 27-S elections”.

“We want to build trust, we want to gain trust here and everywhere, keeping and enhancing Catalonia’s prestige” he stated and assured that the Ministry will put “all their efforts into explaining our case, because we want to be transparent but reliable too”.

Breaking “the EU’s silence”

“The EU has treated in a perplexed manner and, perhaps too silently, the Spanish institutions’ refusal to hold a democratic dialogue with Catalonia” said Romeva. “The deterioration in the quality of democracy in the Spanish State and its poor separation of powers is, or should be, one of the European institutions’ major concerns. The time has come to break this silence” he stated. Thus, Romeva wanted to emphasise that the Catalan government “will keep a strong presence in Brussels” as the relationships with the EU “are crucial”, considering that Europe is the “natural space” for Catalonia”.

Romeva assured that the EU and the cooperation with its institutions will be a priority in the upcoming 17 months, which is the planned duration of the new Catalan government. He also called for “multilateral action” and outlined the new Catalan Ministry’s aim to be represented in the UN, UNESCO and the Council of Europe.

Persisting in dialoguing with Spain

The new Catalan Minister for Foreign Affairs also assured before the Parliament that the will to dialogue with the Spanish government “will persist”. However, he admitted not being very optimistic regarding possible changes in the Spanish State’s attitude, which according to him “despises the democratic decision which the Catalan citizens have already made”. “Dialogue is the only valid and democratic way to solve conflicts, as it is the only way which respects the intrinsic value of plurality” he explained. “Denying dialogue is to deny the possibility of finding solutions to the problems and head directly to imposition”, he added.

The significance of the three areas in the Ministry

Romeva also explained why the new Catalan Ministry groups together three areas; Foreign Affairs, Institutional Relations and Transparency. “We will set the basis of how a state can be at the service of its people” he explained. Foreign Affairs focuses on how Catalonia relates to the world, Institutional Relations will set up the government’s interaction with the other institutional actors and Transparency focuses on the new relationship between the citizens and the institutions which represent them. “We aim to be innovative three times: in Catalonia’s relationship with the world, in the government’s relationship with the institutions and between the institutions and the citizens” he concluded.