Yesterday, on the third anniversary of the events of 20 September 2017, when Spanish police raided the regional economy ministry in Barcelona, Catalan President Quim Torra said it was “shameful that the Spanish state, whoever is in charge, still has two civil society leaders in prison for demanding freedom, something you can do, peacefully, anywhere in the world”. The head of the executive stressed that “it’s not the pro-independence forces that are judicialising politics”, as Prime Minister Sánchez said on Saturday, “it’s the Spanish state”, [because] Jordi Cuixart and Jordi Sànchez had every right to express themselves freely, as they did, and they’re in prison for it”.

President Torra made these remarks during the opening ceremony of the 5th edition of “Encontats”, a fair and market focusing on children’s stories, now under way in the town of Balaguer. He also took part in a tribute to Josep Vallverdú, a writer who is also a recognised as an “adopted son” of the municipality (a local distinction).

During his speech at the ceremony, the president confirmed that the Executive Council will declare culture an essential good when it meets next week, and a commitment was made to work towards creating a space that pays tribute to Catalan children’s writers and illustrators.