minister

Gonzalo de Reparaz’ collection, back in Barcelona after being seized during Francoism

May 29, 2017 04:00 PM | ACN

The Catalan Government will guard geographer and journalist Gonzalo de Reparaz Rodríguez-Báez’ legacy, which was seized in 1939 and has been stored at the Spanish Civil War Archives since then. The Catalan Minister for Territory and Sustainability, Josep Rull, thanked Reparaz’s family for trusting the Catalan Government and praised their years of “judicial struggle” to recover the documents, and therefore part of its family’s history. Rull emphasized Reparaz’s contribution “to explaining the Catalan cause to Europe” and his “commitment to freedom and democracy”. Reparaz established himself in Barcelona in 1921 and came into contact with many representatives of Catalonia’s political and cultural life.

Irish parliament to a create a cross-party group on Catalonia

May 22, 2017 12:48 PM | ACN

Ireland’s ‘Houses of the Oireachtas’ will create a friendship group on Catalonia in order to get a deeper understanding of its political situation, as well as enhancing trade relationships and promoting cultural exchange. The initiative gathers together members of the Irish Assembly and the Senate representing Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, and Sinn Féin, the main parties in the bicameral parliament. Thus, Ireland is following the example of other countries such as the United Kingdom, Finland, Switzerland, and Estonia, who also have discussion groups on Catalonia. Catalan Minister for Foreign Affairs, Raül Romeva, will travel to Dublin on Wednesday to attend the presentation of the cross-party group and explain Catalonia’s referendum roadmap to the participants.

Public Prosecutor sues Catalan officials for initiating ballot box purchase

May 16, 2017 05:30 PM | ACN

Catalonia’s Public Prosecutor has presented a lawsuit against Catalan Minister for Public Administration, Meritxell Borràs, for initiating the process of buying ballot boxes for the referendum. The complaint, ordered by Spanish Public Prosecutor, José Manuel Maza, has been presented before the High Court and also includes the department for Public Administration’s General Secretary, Francesc Esteve, and all those “whom could be found responsible during the investigation”. The Prosecutor considers that simply beginning the purchase of the ballot boxes is against the Spanish Constitutional Court’s (TC) rulings and thus accuses Borràs and Esteve of perversion of justice, disobedience, and embezzlement.

Alibaba may install its Southern Europe hub in Catalonia

May 15, 2017 07:16 PM | ACN

Catalonia may host the logistics hub for Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba for Southern Europe. According to Catalan Minister for Business Knowledge, Jordi Biaget, “no decision has been made yet” but the negotiations are already in the final stages. Although Alibaba is also considering France for the installation of its logistics center, the Catalan Government is working closely with the company so that Catalonia could be the chosen destination. Indeed, last February Baiget met with Alibaba’s board during a commercial mission to China and Hong Kong organized by the Catalan Government. Baiget also explained that the Catalan executive is analyzing more than 300 possible business investments in Catalonia.