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Artur Mas, President of the Catalan Government, signed an article published in New Europe’s special edition ‘Our world in 2014’, explaining why Catalans want to hold a self-determination vote on the 9^th of November, 2014. The European section of the publication includes articles from the French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, the Italian PM Enrico Letta, the UK Finance Minister George Osborne and two EU Commissioners, Neelie Kroes and Androulla Vassilliou, among others. In his article, Mas asked the Spanish Government to “abide by its professed democratic principles and to allow the referendum”. The Catalan President explained why a majority of Catalans are supporting independence from Spain due to historical, political, economic, cultural and identity-related reasons. “In twenty-first century Europe, we solve these disputes peacefully and democratically, with ballot boxes and votes” he stated.

A gripping game between the two league leaders ended without score. Martino saved Messi and Neymar for a second half that both sides had chances to win. Barça played serious, intense football throughout, trying to stay faithful to their possession and passing game, with Atlético Madrid concentrating on a more direct approach, with much reliance on counter attacks and dead ball situations.

The last 20 years have brought us only three matches between Culés and Colchoneros in which Barça and Atlético were the top ranked teams in La Liga. In this particular situation, Atlético have the historic edge seeing that they won two of the three matches. This season Barça and Atlético are level on points, but the Blaugrana are on top due to their better goal average. In the 2012/13 season, when Barça, league leaders on 43 points, hosted Diego Simeone’s men (37 points) for round 16 of La Liga. Barça won 4-1, and Tito Vilanova’s team took a nine-point advantage over their most immediate pursuers. The Blaugrana went on to win the title after securing a record-breaking haul of 100 points.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s refusal to negotiate and allow the Catalans a consultation vote on independence “undermines the legitimacy of the Spanish political system” and is a violation of Catalonia’s democratic “right to express its own voice”. Such is the conclusion of Huw Evans, Law Professor at the Cardiff Metropolitan University. In a report entitled Law and Legitimacy: The denial of the Catalan voice, published by the Brussels think tank Centre Maurits Coppieters, Evans argues that Rajoy could authorise a referendum without breaching the Constitution. He states that Madrid’s current attitude “restricts (and, also […] denies) the right of the Catalan people to democratically pursue” independence.

Antoni Abad, the Chairman of the Terrassa-based employer’s association Cecot, forecasts “a small growth” of Catalonia’s GDP in 2014. However, Abad also warned against “the fragility” of the current situation since economic recovery is just starting and indicators are posting positive data but still with manifold limitations. When asked about the possible consequences of the political situation in Spain, Abad insisted the Cecot members “are not afraid” of the self-determination consultation vote. He reminded Spain that consultations are “structural elements” of democratic life, adding he was hoping for “rationality” and “dialogue” to impose themselves in the political sphere. Abad also denied the words of the Spanish Minister for Home Affairs, Jorge Fernandez Diaz, stating that the independence issue had not created any “conflicts” in Catalan families.

Goals from Cesc (2) and Messi (2) crush Getafe in the first leg of the 1/16 round of the Spanish Cup (4-0). Tata Martino was spot on when he said Leo Messi had the look of an assassin before Wednesday evening’s match at the Camp Nou against Getafe. It took the Argentinian forward only 30 minutes to score a brace and edge Barça ever closer to the next round of the Copa del Rey. Before Barça can clinch passage to the quarter-finals of the competition, they will have to travel to the Spanish capital to face Atlético Madrid in La Liga.

The President of the European Commission, José Manuel Durao Barroso, has responded to the letter sent in December by Artur Mas, the President of the Catalan Government. Mas had informed Barroso and the leaders of the EU Member States about Catalonia’s self-determination process and the recent agreement to organise a consultation vote on the 9^th of November. The Commission President “thanked” Mas for his letter and the information about “the latest political developments in Catalonia”. However, he rejected issuing further comments “on a question of internal organisation related to the constitutional arrangements in the Member States”. Furthermore, concerning Catalonia’s EU Membership, Barroso “recalls the position […] expressed on several occasions”.

The Catalan Government will file several formal demands for payment of the €2.02 billion the Spanish Government legally owes Catalonia from the 2008-2013 period. The money represents 1% of Catalonia’s GDP or 7% of the Catalan Government’s budget. According to the Statute of Autonomy, which was approved by the Spanish Parliament and came into force in 2006, the Spanish Government was obliged to invest a percentage equal to or higher than Catalonia’s share of Spain’s GDP between 2007 and 2013 in order to compensate for an historical lack of infrastructure investment. If it was not doing so, the Spanish Executive had to compensate Catalonia financially. The measure was adopted after exhaustive negotiations and was essential to the approval of this law by the Catalan people through a binding referendum. However, the Spanish Government never honoured it. Madrid compensated Catalonia for the lack of investment in 2007, but not for the remaining years.

The Camp Nou will host the first leg of the 1/8 round of the Copa del Rey. Leo Messi was named in the squad while Dani Alves, Marc Bartra and Xavi will be rested.Pinto will be in goal despite Valdés’ recovery and it’s probable that Puyol, Adriano and Sergi Roberto, all of whom were on the bench on Sunday, will be named in the starting eleven. Gerardo Martino, Barça’s Boss, said on Saturday that Leo Messi “has the eye of an assassin” since he returned from Argentina. The FC Barcelona forward, who missed the match against Elche, was given the medical all-clear to play on Tuesday and he could make an appearance this Wednesday evening (22.00 CET).

The President of the Catalan Government, Artur Mas, insisted this Tuesday he will organise a self-determination vote within the legal framework on the date agreed upon by four political groups 3 weeks ago. In a press conference following the first Cabinet Meeting of 2014, Mas ruled out the possibility of making changes in the government he chairs on the short-term, after speculations that the Catalan Left-Wing Independence Party (ERC) could sit in the Cabinet, formed by members from the Centre-Right Catalan Nationalist Coalition (CiU) and independents. In addition, he identified “a cross slope” in the economic, social and political context, referring to a slight recovery, after 6 “terrible and fearsome years”.

The Argentinean is set to play for the first time since he was injured against Betis at the Benito Villamarín Stadium 58 days ago. He has been named in the FC Barcelona squad to face Getafe at the Spanish Cup on Wednesday. On the 10^th of November, in the 19^th minute, Messi injured himself and had to be substituted. Up to that point he had scored 14 goals and 16 official matches. On the day after, tests confirm that he had torn a hamstring muscle and would be out for 6 to 8 weeks. On the 20^th of December, tests confirm the player had completed the clinical phase of his recovery and on the 2^nd January he trains with the squad again.

The Catalan Government deficit amounted to 1.6% of the GDP between January and October, and consequently missed the 1.58% target imposed by the Spanish Government. Madrid was also not able to comply with the limit set for the central government, and had a deficit of 3.96% in November, higher than the 3.8% required for the whole year. The Spanish autonomous communities’ total deficit amounted to 1.12% of the GDP in October, which was in line with the yearly objectives, according to the Spanish Government. When considering the deficit of the autonomous communities, the Spanish state and the Social Security, it amounted to 4.87% of the GDP. The payments of the banking bail-out will also be included in this figure at the end of the year. Brussels had set a global limit of 6.5% for Spain in 2013.

The Catalan President, Artur Mas, urged Spain “to listen to the voice of the Catalan people” by allowing the referendum on independence to take place in 2014. In his New Year’s Eve Speech, Mas said that “there is nothing as democratic” as deciding the future of the country “in the ballot box”. “Solving the big issues in the polls should not cause any qualms nor fears, and it is obvious that our future and the relationship that we should have with Spain and Europe is a tremendously big issue”, he said in a speech broadcasted by Catalan Television on Monday.

“There is only one reform of the Constitution and it the one we have already agreed on”, stated the Secretary General of the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE), Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, in response to the Catalan Socialists’ proposal to approve a “singular redefinition” of Catalonia’s “fitting” within Spain. Rubalcaba said that the Catalan Socialist Party (PSC) – which is member of the PSOE – had not sent him any proposal on this issue. “They should explain it to me. I do not know anything about it”, he said when he was asked about the PSC’s proposal. In an exclusive interview with the CNA, the PSC’s Spokesperson at the Catalan Parliament, Maurici Lucena, explained that a temporary measure should be adopted urgently to better fit Catalonia within Spain while waiting for a global reform of the Spanish Constitution, a lengthy process that can take years.

In an interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, the President of the Catalan Government, Artur Mas, emphasised that an independent Catalonia would “want to remain” within the European Union. Mas highlighted the need to reach “a transition agreement” to ensure the uninterrupted continuity of an independent Catalonia within “the Eurozone, the EU, the Schengen Area and the NATO”. In addition, Mas insisted that, if the Spanish Government bans the self-determination referendum, he will have to call plebiscitary elections to give Catalans the opportunity to vote on their future. Besides, Mas announced he “will quit politics soon”; “at most” he will be in office for just “another term” to “push forward” Catalonia’s self-determination process.