Catalan President in Brussels to tackle regional autonomy issue

Independence from Spain and the creation of a federal model for the EU are two of the issues that the President of the autonomous government of Catalonia, Artur Mas, presented this Wednesday in Brussels. He said Catalonia meets the policy requirements to be a new independent EU state.

Artur Mas, President of Catalonia:
“The question will be if the EU is prepared to offer solutions to countries such as Catalonia, that have the will to be in Europe, that have the same rights of European citizens and that the only thing they want is to change their political status.”

Artur Mas says if he secured a “large majority” in the next elections, he would try to call a referendum on independence in the next four years. But technically, this is anti-constitutional.

Artur Mas, President of Catalonia:
“If to make it in the framework of the Spanish law is not possible, then we are going to try to make this in the framework of a Catalan law, a specific Catalan law for consultations”.

Mas also says he’s unlikely to negotiate alongside other regions with separatist aspirations such as Scotland and Flanders.

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