Catalonia unimpressed with 'aesthetic measures' approved by Spain

Many of the measures approved in the Spanish cabinet meeting held in the Catalan capital on Friday are "aesthetic" and "minor" and "for that there was no need for them to come to Barcelona," according to the Catalan government spokeswoman.

In a press conference following the extraordinary cabinet meeting, spokeswoman and presidency minister, Elsa Artadi, questioned the substance of the measures announced, and insisted that the public is "intelligent enough" to realize it.

In the meeting, held against a backdrop of pro-independence protests, Spanish ministers agreed such measures as a name change for Barcelona airport, a condemnation of Civil War president Lluís Companys' execution, and a funding plan for highways and roads.

Yet, the government was not impressed, and Artadi questioned the need to hold the cabinet meeting in Barcelona at all. Pointing out that some of the initiatives approved by the cabinet were not even new, Artadi called them "aesthetic measures that have no real value."

Nevertheless, the spokeswoman did restate the government's commitment for maintaining political dialogue with the Spanish executive, which was agreed in meetings between the two executives and presidents Torra and Sánchez on Thursday evening.