This afternoon the President of the Government of Catalonia, Artur Mas, thanked the people of Scotland and Britain for having shown Europe and the rest of the world the "right way to resolve differences and meet the aspirations and desires of a nation". "Thank you for showing us the way”, declared the President, who had insisted on the Scottish referendum, regardless of the outcome; "the message from the UK to rest of the world is powerful, strong and also clearly positive”.

 

In the press conference on yesterday’s referendum held in Scotland, Artur Mas highlighted that “the Catalan political process continues and will go ahead” and that the Scottish ‘No’ “is not a step back” because, in this sense, “the Catalan political process is strengthened, above all, because it is supported by a vote, just as it was in Scotland”.

 

In this regard, Mas insisted that his commitment is not to independence but to having “the consultation and letting the people of Catalonia vote and decide their own future”. ”To be able to vote actually unites [a country], what separates the people is not being able to vote”, divulged the President, adding that “this great lesson that the United Kingdom has taught us shows that these types of conflicts can only be resolved through ballots”.

 

When referring to the State institutions, Artur Mas highlighted how the British Prime Minister could have impeded the Referendum, just as the Spanish government intends to, but by “being the good democrat, he knew of the necessity and the obligation of finding means for dialogue, agreement, negotiation and a legal framework to correctly channel the political aspirations of a nation”.

 

While understanding and respecting Mariano Rajoy’s satisfaction for the final result, Mas encouraged the Spanish Prime Minister not to fear the “true democracy of Catalonia, a society of dialogue” and demanded Rajoy to have the same “respect and democratic attitude” which the United Kingdom demonstrated with the Catalan political process.

 

“A question to Prime Minister Rajoy: Is Catalonia less of a nation than Scotland? Does it have less of a Parliament? Does it have a smaller majority in its parliament in favour of the referendum to be treated so negatively different?” asked the Head of the Catalan government.

 

The President also declared how those governing in Madrid are “mistaken, if they think they can stop the political will of a majority of Catalans with legal obstacles”. “Just as in Scotland, we want to have a consultation which conforms with the Spanish State” Mas reiterated, emphasizing that the “purpose of the consultation is so that everyone can legitimately defend their position and accept the outcome”. “I would very much respect a Spanish State campaigning for a ‘NO’ if it were to allow for a vote to take place”.