catalan

The Catalan President: “The referendum will happen”

September 6, 2013 05:10 PM | ACN

The President of the Catalan Government, Artur Mas, said on Friday he will do all that is in his power to hold a referendum on independence in 2014. “The referendum will happen. There has been not one step back, nor any slow down in the plans”, he stated. Mas caused political turmoil in Catalonia yesterday when he said he would wait until 2016 to celebrate “plebiscite-style” elections if the Spanish government does not authorise a referendum on independence next year. This Friday, Mas met with the leader of the opposition and his ally on the referendum issue, Oriol Junqueras (ERC), who avoided commenting on the controversy of the 2016 election.

“Plebiscite” election in 2016 if Spain refuses to allow a referendum in Catalonia

September 5, 2013 05:07 PM | ACN

This Thursday, Catalan President, Artur Mas, said he would call a “plebiscite” style election in 2016 if the Spanish government does not allow Catalonia to carry out a referendum on independence next year. In an interview with Catalan radio, Mas rejected calling early elections even if Madrid refuses his proposal for a referendum. Instead, he would ask Catalans to vote in the 2016 election considering which parties are in favour or against independence, thus showing the overall support for the creation of a new Catalan state.

More than 400 performers to assemble this weekend for magnificent arts festival FiraTàrrega

September 3, 2013 06:20 PM | ACN

This weekend, the city of Tàrrega will be transformed as its annual arts festival kicks-off with over 400 performers entertaining crowds. The event, in its 33rd year, will have 24 venues and a total 300 shows. It prides itself on showcasing the best up-and-coming artists as well as placing an emphasis on more unconventional performances. There are numerous shows on offer including theatre, dance and music as well as events for children such as puppet acts and circus performances. The festival attracted 147,000 visitors in 2012 and is located in central Catalonia in the village of Tàrrega.

London, Brussels, New York and the Great Wall of China – Catalans around the world hold hands for independence

September 2, 2013 07:48 PM | ACN

Hundreds of Catalans living all over the world are showing their support for independence by organising replicates of the large scale Catalan way that is being prepared in Catalonia for the 11th of September. More than 800 people participated in the Catalan way in London, while hundreds held hands on the Great Wall of China in one of the most amazing demonstrations this weekend. In New York, independence supporters did a human chain in Central Park and assembled shortly afterwards in Times Square with Catalan flags.

Catalan government kicks-off logistic plans to carry out a referendum in 2014

August 30, 2013 05:03 PM | ACN

The Catalan Government is drawing out plans to prepare a referendum on independence, especially considering the posibility that the Spanish government may refuse to collaborate with Catalonia in the organisation of the vote. The Catalan Vice President, Joana Ortega, will meet next week with the Unity for Electoral Process to discuss the logistics of the referendum. In an interview on Friday with the Catalan radio, she said the next budget will include a special line for the costs of running the independence vote.

Catalan Castells are safer than ever with only 2.5% of the towers collapsing in 2013

August 28, 2013 06:20 PM | Violeta Gumà, Tania Tàpia and Julian Scully

The medical director of the Coordinadora de Colles Castelleres de Catalunya (the coordinating committee of the human towers of Catalonia – CCCC), Daniel Castillo, has announced that the tradition is just as dangerous as practicing any other sport. Two weeks ago, a casteller (Castell participant) was seriously injured in Barcelona during the construction of a Castell. However, in an interview with the CNA, Castillo highlighted how that historical tradition is, in fact, becoming safer with only 2.5% of the 6,500 Castells of 2013 collapsing. “During the 1990s about 7% of Castells collapsed”, he noted. Castells is a tradition unique to Catalonia and in 2010 was declared a UNESCO element of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The Catalan Government passes the Foreign Affairs bill as a step towards “an ambitious future”

August 28, 2013 12:05 AM | ACN

The Catalan Presidency Minister and Government Spokesman, Francesc Homs, said in a press conference on Tuesday that the draft of the bill develops the powers granted by the 2006 Statue of Autonomy, while complying with Spanish law and constitutional framework. He added that it is an instrument to strengthen the external activities of the government of a country “that aims to become free” and is the first bill of the government focused on its foreign relations. Homs also said he is confident that, sooner or later, the European Commission will publish its opinion about the legal consequences of independence in Catalonia and Scotland.

International tourists spent €7.68 billion in Catalonia between January and July

August 27, 2013 06:57 PM | ACN

A report issued by the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism reveal how Catalonia has received €7.68 billion from foreign tourist expenditure between January and July of this year. The figure represents an increase of 9.8% on 2012, and also means that Catalonia received 23.9% of Spain’s total foreign tourist spending, higher than any other area. Meanwhile, each tourist spent an average of €878 during their visit – 4.4% higher than last year’s figures. The average daily expenditure also increased by 1.2% on last year to €123. The Canary Islands received the second highest amount of foreign tourist expenditure with €6.24 billion, while The Balearic Islands were third with €5.67 billion.

New documentary to explore the Catalan rumba through the life of influential artist Peret

August 26, 2013 10:10 PM | ACN

During the 1960s a form of music emerged in the Raval district of Barcelona that combined the passion of the flamenco rumba with the speed and rhythm of the mambo and of rock. It became known as the Catalan rumba and was created by Peret and his peers. The documentary is called ‘Cuchibiri cuchibiri’ and will be directed by filmmaker Carles Prats. It will reveal the origins and evolution of the Catalan rumba through the life of Peret who is considered a founder of the genre and a key figure within the gypsy community of Catalonia. Prats noted how Peret is an “important figure” and is the Catalan rumba’s equivalent of “Chuck Berry or Elvis Presley”.

Pro-independence supporters prepare a 400 km-long human chain on Catalonia’s National Day

August 23, 2013 09:32 PM | ACN

This coming 11th of September – which is Catalonia’s National Day – pro-independence supporters have organised a gigantic human chain called the ‘Catalan Way Towards Independence’ that will cross Catalonia from North to South stretching 400 km and passing through some of the main cities, such as Barcelona, Girona and Tarragona. After having organised the 1.5 million-strong demonstration of 2012, the civil society platform Catalan National Assembly is preparing a new massive demonstration that calls for independence from Spain. This year’s peculiar demonstration is inspired by the ‘Baltic Way’ of 1989, which gathered 2 million people forming a 670 km-long human chain crossing Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The ‘Baltic Way’ was organised exactly 24 years ago and issued a manifesto that read “a common European home can only by set up if all European nations are granted a free right to self-determination”.

Catalonia sees a 2.5% increase in overnight hotel stays among foreigners during July

August 23, 2013 09:29 PM | ACN

According to figures released by the Spanish Institute of Statistics, overnight hotel stays among foreigners in Catalonia have increased by 2.5% during July compared to the same month of 2012. While there has been an increase in the amount of foreigners visiting, the rate of hotel stays among the Spanish population in Catalonia is down by 7.3%. In total, the amount of overnight stays among foreigners in Catalonia during July was 5.82 million, while for Spanish nationals this figure was 1.57 million. Catalonia accounts for 23.2% of total hotel stays among foreigners in Spain, second only to the Balearic Islands with 37.9%.

Catalonia received 2.1 million foreign tourists in July, once again being the most popular destination in Spain

August 22, 2013 09:11 PM | ACN

Since January, 8.7 million foreign visitors have come to Catalonia, a rise of 5.1% on the same period of 2012. Catalonia has become the main tourist destination in the whole of Spain during July, with 2.1 million foreign visitors, according to a survey carried out by the Institute of Touristic Studies. This figure represents a 3.1% rise on July 2012. Catalonia now receives 26.7% of Spain’s total international tourists. French tourists account for the largest share, with an increase of 1.9% on last year, representing a third of all foreign tourists. However, it is Russians that have contributed most to this significant growth. Spain as a whole received 34 million tourists since January, with July setting a new record.

Catalonia leads Spain’s exports, representing 25% of the total exportation during the first half of 2013

August 22, 2013 07:32 PM | ACN

The Spanish Deputy Minister for Trade, Jaime García Legaz, acknowledged on Thursday that Catalonia is the “main exporting community” within Spain. Between January and July, Catalonia’s exports had a value of €29.23 billion, representing 24.6% of Spain’s total in that period. During his speech, García Legaz failed to confirm the statement made by Madrid’s regional Government that more than 1,000 Catalonian companies have moved to Madrid since 2010. He insisted that he lacks “reliable data” on this issue and is therefore “not in a position to make an informed judgement”. A total of seven Autonomous Communities within Spain have experienced an increase in their exports this year.

570,000 jobs have been lost in Catalonia since 2007, according to the trade union UGT

August 21, 2013 09:12 PM | ACN

The General Workers Union (UGT) issued a report stating that the Catalan economy experienced 567,099 job losses between 2007 and 2013. The figure represents a reduction of 16.86% on the total number of jobs that existed in Catalonia 6 years ago. While presenting the report, the UGT’s Secretary for Union Policy, Camil Ros, warned that figures do not show “a recovery of job creation”. Ros criticised the Spanish Government for “lying” and presenting macroeconomic figures in a way that “do not correspond to reality” since there are no signs of economic recovery. “At most, the job reduction has slowed down [its pace]”, he added.

CatalunyaBanc plans a mass layoff of 34% of its staff, affecting some 2,500 workers

August 20, 2013 09:35 PM | ACN

The Catalan bank was nationalised in 2012 and is going through an important restructuring process before being privatised again. Currently, the financial entity is owned by the FROB (Fund for Orderly Bank Restructuring), which is run by the Bank of Spain and the Spanish Government. The FROB has been delaying the auction to sell CatalunyaBanc and is now proposing to layoff 2,453 workers of the bank and its subsidiaries, according to trade unions. This would represent firing some 34% of its staff. The company is proposing a compensation of 20 days worth of salary per year worked for those it plans to layoff, following the labour market reform, with a maximum of the equivalent to 12 months salary being given. CatalunyaBanc ended the first half of 2013 with a net profit of €183 million, after having transferred part of its real estate toxic assets to the so-called “bad bank” SAREB.