Mas urges the Spanish government to “stop threatening” Catalans as if they were “criminals”

Barcelona (CNA).- The Catalan President asked Madrid to “pay attention to” the massive demonstration held in Barcelona and to stop being “politically short-sighted”. “Leave behind your imperial vanity, stop threatening us with the law as if we were criminals. We are normal, peaceful people”, he said to the Spanish government in a short speech after 1.4 million people took to the streets of Barcelona in another big rally in favour of independence. Mas urged the central government to modify the law to allow a referendum because “that would not mean the end of the world”. “We have the right to be listened to, and not only that. We have the right to be helped in order to implement our democratic mandate”, he added, suggesting that Spanish parties should propose a referendum or negotiations in case of Yes parties winning a majority in the upcoming election.

Indeed, Mas has said that the use of the 27^th of September elections as a plebiscite is “the only tool” in his hands after the systematic refusal by the Spanish government to allow a Scottish-style referendum. “If you can’t hold a real and specific referendum, if all your attempts have been blocked, you have to do something”, he said during a press conference with international journalists in Barcelona.

Addressing himself to the Catalans that took part in the rally, Mas said that while they can be “influential” by taking to the streets, it’s really when they vote at the ballot box that they “decide”. “On the street you are influential, but it is at the ballot box that you decide. And I’m not saying what you should decide, this is up to each of you”, he said.

Catalans are going to the polls on the 27^th of September in a vote that many consider a ‘de facto’ referendum on independence.  Mas is running in the election in a coalition led by former Green MEP Raul Romeva, together with left-wing pro-independence party ERC and members of civil society. If they achieve a majority, they will implement their road map toward a declaration of independence. Another pro-independence left-wing radical party, CUP, also supports their plans to declare independence but is not running on the same ticket. Mas has always said, however, that they would change their plans if Spain offered a legally binding referendum, a much more preferred option than a unilateral declaration.

The left-wing coalition ‘Catalunya Sí que es Pot’ (Catalonia Yes We Can), which includes members of Podemos, is in favour of a referendum, but rejects independence. Both the Conservatives of the PP and Ciutadans reject independence and would block any referendum, while the Socialists advocate reforming the Constitution to create a federal state but won’t contemplate a self-determination vote.

“Every nation in the world, including Catalonia, has a right to decide its own future. And we are asking for that right in the street, and also from the institutions”, Mas said in his short speech. The Catalan President argued that his project is “not against anyone, not against Spain nor the Spanish State”. “We are in favour of the right to decide, in favour of democracy, of dignity, of respect and freedom. We want to have the opportunity to live better”, he added.

According to Mas, Catalan society is “hopeful” because many citizens want to “build” a new country. “There is no other example in the world of such a huge civic mobilisation”, he said in a celebratory tone, recalling that Catalonia has seen each year for the last four years massive peaceful demonstrations in favour of independence. “We feel that the people are behind us following this demonstration”, he said, adding that they help him to “go forward with the political process”.