Spain’s lack of response to Catalonia’s push for independence concerns the international community

Barcelona (CNA).- Catalan Minister for Foreign Affairs, former MEP Raül Romeva, explained this Friday that none of the diplomats he has met so far understand Spain’s “refusal to budge  regarding Catalonia’s push for independence. In an interview with Catalunya Radio he stated that “nobody understands”why “there is no one at the other end of the table”to discuss the situation in Catalonia. According to him, the international community rejects Spain’s executive campaign to confront both “politically and judicially”and tackle the situation in Catalonia through the court. Romeva also added that the perception that Catalonia’s push for independence and its future relationship with Spain was an internal matter is changing, and the international community is becoming aware that it is a topic which may also affect them. Therefore, “they are concerned”. Romeva also noted that the budget of the department he is in charge of “is not an expense but an investment”and denied having hired new people for the new Ministry.

“Nobody understands why there is no one at the other end of the table. Neither Germany, France, nor anybody”stated Romeva, referring to Spain’s position to tackle Catalonia’s political demands. “Everybody understands that the most reasonable thing to do is to sit down and negotiate”he added. Therefore, he assured that the international community “fully understands”Catalonia’s helplessness in relation to “the lack of response”from Spain’s executive.

Although he didn’t reveal which international actors he met, he assured that they are becoming aware of how the situation in Catalonia and its future relationship with Spain may affect them, and “this brings them anguish and concerns them”. According to Romeva, the international community has realised that the current situation can’t go a long way and therefore it represents “a problem”which may have an important cost for them. “So far there had been the perception that Catalonia’s situation was an internal matter”he said “but now they are starting to realise that not solving it has a cost, also for them”. 

Catalan Ministry for Foreign Affairs is an “investment”

Regarding the creation of the new Catalan Ministry for Foreign Affairs, which has been launched in this term of office, Romeva assured that its budget “is not an expense but an investment on welfare and opportunities”. The Ministry’s budget is 19 million euros, which according to Romeva is “very low in comparison to other ministries for Foreign Affairs”. 

He also denied having hired more people for the new department and assured that it was created from the basis of the previous Secretary for Foreign Affairs. 

Romeva also lamented having not yet met with the Spanish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, JoséManuel García-Margallo. In this vein, he criticised Spain’s attitude towards Catalonia. “The Spanish State is against Catalonia and this makes everything harder”. “We are doing our duties despite Spain’s obstacles”he stated.