The president of the Government of Catalonia, Quim Torra, said this morning that “what’s a serious concern is the Spanish state today in Europe”, which “violates human rights, fails to comply with the decisions of European courts, and denies Catalans their inalienable right to self-determination”.

The head of the executive was responding to the words of King Felipe VI, who said in his Christmas speech yesterday that Catalonia is a “serious concern”. President Torra was speaking after heading a wreath-laying ceremony at the tomb of former Catalan president Francesc Macià in Barcelona’s Montjuïc Cemetery to mark the 86th anniversary of his death.

The president said: “We have a mandate to fulfil: to continue moving forward to complete the independence process, just as Macià taught us with his dignity, because freedom is dignity and we need to continue advancing along this path until we achieve full sovereignty for Catalonia.”