Catalan president vindicates declaration of independence, on year on

Catalan president Quim Torra made an institutional speech on October 27, 2018, exactly one year after the Catalan parliament declared independence.

Torra began his speech by quoting the declaration of independence itself and reiterating his and his colleague’s commitment to “build a state that translates collective inspirations into action and conduct.”

The head of the government of Catalonia however went on to admit that the past year had “not gone as [they] wanted,” speaking of Article 155, the constitutional measure implemented by the Spanish government in response to the declaration, the incarceration of Catalan leaders, and more.

“All the repressive weight of the Spanish State fell onto the legitimate and democratic [Catalan] government, onto the highest leaders of civil and pro-independence entities, and onto hundreds of citizens, mayors, councilors, activists, singers,” said Torra.

Indeed, the Catalan president further insisted that he will “not accept any sentence other than full absolution” for Catalan leaders in prison.

Catalan parties have however avoided focusing too heavily on the event, as neither the Catalan government nor any pro-independence party, are planning to hold any ceremony on Saturday, with the Catalan National Assembly (ANC) grassroots group being the only one to remember it.