Catalan president to attend meeting with Spain’s territorial leaders after initially rejecting conference

The Catalan president, Pere Aragonès, has confirmed on Thursday that he will attend a meeting with other Spanish regional presidents on Sunday, March 13 on the island of La Palma after initially rejecting going to the summit.

The meeting will be led by Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez and is aimed at tackling issues related to the war in Ukraine, including the impending refugee crisis.

This is an "exceptional" situation and deserves the "maximum coordination," Aragonès said in a press conference confirming his attendance. "It is the moment for brave measures," he added.

"When this impacts the electricity bill, when companies halt their production, and since we are committed to welcoming refugees, faced with this situation, we will respond,” the Catalan president said.

President doubted attending

The meeting has been organized since mid-February when it was postponed from February 24 to March 13 due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. At the time, Aragonès had already confirmed he would not attend the summit.

The Catalan president kept his decision while opposition figures urged him to be part of the conference.

"We would prefer for [president Aragonès] to be there with us," Spanish government spokesperson Isabel Rodríguez, said on Tuesday.

"More than ever, Catalonia’s seat cannot be empty," Lluïsa Moret, from the Catalan Socialist Party (PSC) said on Monday.