Parliament to vote on agreed pro-independence roadmap next week

Barcelona (CNA).- The appeals to the pro-independence declaration on starting the independence process haven't been accepted by the Parliament's Bureau and the proposal will be finally voted on next week. This was the resolution of this Tuesday's meeting of the Spokesperson Bureau, which was convened even though the Catalonia People's Party (PPC) haven't constituted themselves as a parliamentary group yet. The reason for this was to accelerate the debate on the pro-independence proposal and respond to the appeals made by Catalan Socialist Party PSC and Anti-Catalan nationalism Ciutadans, with the support of the PPC, which called for reconsideration of the declaration’s approval. The Parliament's President, Carme Forcadell, responded to those who criticised her decision to convene the Spokesperson Bureau and emphasised that the Parliament hasn't done anything illegal. The Spokesperson Bureau is to meet again next Friday and according to the schedule, the proposal presented by pro-independence forces 'Junts Pel Sí' and CUP will be put to vote before the new Catalan President is instated. 

The Parliament's President, Carme Forcadell, admitted that the agreed declaration on starting the independence process, which was presented by 'Junts Pel Sí' and CUP could be voted upon next Monday, before the President instatement debate. Although the two votes are to be scheduled for the same day, there will be "two different plenary sessions" clarified Forcadell.

Forcadell convened the Spokesperson Bureau for Tuesday so that it could start debating the pro-independence proposal, even though the PPC haven't yet constituted themselves as parliamentary group. For this reason, alternative left Catalunya Sí Que es Pot, Catalan Socialist Party PSC and anti-Catalan nationalism Ciutadans considered the meeting "invalid" as the PPC was missing. "We haven’t done anything illegal. This Parliament hasn't done anything illegal. On the contrary: we have convened the Bureau to adhere to the Parliament's regulation" stated Forcadell. She stated that "the right to participate" has been guaranteed as the 11 PPC MPs were invited to attend the Spokesperson Bureau, but ultimately refused to do so.

The aim of convening the Bureau was mainly to respond to PSC and Ciutadans’ appeals against the proposal. Both parties, backed by the PPC, called for the Parliament to reconsider the approval of the pro-independence declaration. The PPC went a bit further and announced that they would take the declaration before the Spanish Constitutional Court (TC). Regarding this, Forcadell stated that the PPC "is within their rights to do so" but emphasised that the individual rights "have been respected" at all times.