Negotiation of Spanish budget ‘impossible’ with ‘political prisoners,’ says Catalan president

It's “impossible” to negotiate the Spanish budget, said the Catalan president, Quim Torra.

On Wednesday morning, he stated that “the current situation of political prisoners and those in exile” prevents Catalan pro-independence parties from accepting Spain’s 2019 spending plan.

This, as pro-independence votes are needed if the Spanish left-wing parties want their agreed budget to be passed in the Congress.

Last week, the ruling Socialists reached an agreement with left-wing Podemos, including an increase to the minimum wage from 735 to 900 euros.

Podemos' leader visit to prison

On Friday, Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias, will visit the prison to see Oriol Junqueras, leader of one of the Catalan ruling coalition parties, Esquerra Republicana. He will try to persuade him to negotiate the budget, although not only the government but the pro-independence parties have ruled it out.

Torra made these remarks in Geneva, Switzerland, where he is expected to give a speech on international mediation on Wednesday evening.

In the morning, he met with Marta Rovira, a Catalan former official who is being prosecuted for rebellion but will not be tried, or so it seems, as she moved to Switzerland in March seeking refuge from Spain’s judiciary.