• The Government considers that the sentence against Juvillà is an "attack on the right to freedom of expression and another example of the general cause opened by the State against independence".
• Spokesperson Patrícia Plaja: "Today, in view of the Christmas holidays, it is not foreseen to incorporate new measures with relevant affectation in the day to day of the citizens"
• The Government, headed by President Aragonès, will participate on Saturday afternoon in the demonstration in defense of linguistic immersion called by SOM ESCOLA (We are School)
• The Government approves a Decree Law that improves the protection of the rights of the consumers of digital services or contents

 

Before entering with the topics of the meeting, the spokesperson Patrícia Plaja has moved the support of the Government towards the deputy of the CUP and third secretary of the Bureau of the Parliament of Catalonia Pau Juvillà. "The position of the Government is clear," said the spokesperson, “and is in line with the manifesto signed, among others, by the president of the Government of Catalonia, Pere Aragonès, which called for the acquittal of Juvillà".

"The trial and now the conviction is an attack on the right to freedom of expression and another example of the general cause opened by the Spanish Government against independence" denounced Plaja, who added that the "persecution against political dissent by the Spanish administration continues and from the Government of Catalonia there is a firm commitment to make possible the end of the repression". Therefore, we want to make explicit our support on behalf of the entire Government in Juvillà and the commitment to continue working to "end this systematic and unacceptable repression".

 

"The common language of our country, Catalan".

At this morning's meeting of the Government, language was also discussed. "The common language of our country, Catalan". And of the "unquestionable commitment, on the part of this Govern Government, to work to protect Catalan from external attacks and of the impulse that we want to give to promote its use". Plaja recalled that the commitment of this government with the Catalan language is included in the government plan where the need to lead a great National Pact for the language to protect, encourage and increase the use of the Catalan language in each and every one of the sectors is made explicit. "It is a national issue and no sentence will make us deviate from the objectives set to ensure the present and the future of Catalan". And we must do this with the "maximum political and social consensus", in this sense the spokeswoman has asked everyone "to put aside partisanship" and work together to find solutions that allow us to "save the language for the next generations".

In this sense, the government as a whole, with the president at the head, will participate on Saturday morning in the demonstration in defense of linguistic immersion called by SOM ESCOLA (We are School). The Government has also called an extraordinary summit for Thursday in Palau. This will be the second summit, to deal with all the social and cultural entities and the different associations and with "the objective of specifying how to respond to the Supreme Court ruling and to promote Catalan in schools".

 

Improvement of the protection of the rights of consumers of digital services or contents.

"From today, people who want to contract digital services or contents will be able to do it in a safer way" according to Patrícia Plaja, who has informed that the Government has approved a Decree Law that improves the protection of the rights of consumers of digital services or contents, such as computer software, computer programs, APP's, online newspapers, or audiovisual entertainment platforms. The new regulation, which will be incorporated into the sixth book of the Catalan civil code on obligations and contracts, "aims to modernize and update the Catalan civil law, and at the same time to adapt it to the requirements of European consumer law".

 

Situation of the pandemic in Catalonia

"The situation is worrying, the data are terrible and all indicators are rising" warned the spokesperson. For this reason, the measures we have at our disposal, those we are already applying, "are basic and essential". Today, for the next few days and coinciding with the Christmas holidays, "it is not planned to incorporate new measures with relevant impact on the daily lives of citizens" but we need the commitment and cooperation of all apply those we already have in place in the best possible way.

In this sense, experts agree that minimizing social interaction whenever possible, using the mask always in closed spaces if we are not alone and also in open spaces if we cannot keep the safety distance is key, very necessary.

In general terms, said the spokesperson, "the application and use of the Covid certificate works correctly", "the vaccines work, they are not only necessary but are essential to save lives and to avoid the collapse of the health system" because in most cases, the infection is mild, although today they do not guarantee that we can not get infected.

She also reported that the Catalan Police Force (Mossos d'Esquadra) have carried out random inspections to check compliance with the use of the Covid certificate. Specifically, since the beginning of its implementation, 1,631 inspections have been carried out by the Mossos and "in almost all of them, both those responsible for the establishments and the users of the services complied with the protocols".

The Mossos d'Esquadra Catalan police Force and the local police will continue to carry out random inspections and controls in the coming weeks to improve the use of this certificate. They will continue to carry out inspections with plainclothes agents and also prevention and information tasks.

The spokesperson has reminded that tomorrow begins the vaccination campaign for children under 11 years old and has asked that "for social responsibility and to minimize individual risks, let's vaccinate and vaccinate our children". Today until 8 am, 61,561 appointments had already been requested for children under 11 years of age.

 

Trans* law

The Executive has also initiated the processing of the Catalan trans* law with the approval of the preliminary report. The legislative initiative "guarantees the rights of trans* people, including trans* children and adolescents, and aims to eradicate any discrimination based on gender identity or expression". With this law, all the protocols, instructions and specific services that have been developed in Catalonia in recent years in areas such as the educational world, sports centers or prisons, linked to recognize the right of gender self-determination of people who manifest a gender identity different from the one assigned at birth, are raised to a normative level. "The eradication of any form of violence towards trans* persons because of their gender identity or expression, whether institutional, social or otherwise, is another aspect contemplated by the law". In this sense, the new regulation provides for the establishment of protection mechanisms for trans* people who suffer violence in the family environment or in the place of residence.

 

Other Government Agreements

The Government has initiated the procedures to establish the new legal framework that will establish the institutional role of the School as the backbone of the training and transfer system for the whole of the Catalan public administration. The objective is to center the position of the EAPC (School of Public Administration of Catalonia) in the Catalan institutional framework and to move from a school of the Administration of the Government to a School for the entire Catalan public sector. In this sense, it is configured as a platform for the generation, management and transfer of knowledge in the field of civil service, of the totality of public policies and employees to contribute to deploy an efficient, professional and excellent administration at the service of the people.

Finally, the Government has extended the National Plan for Associations and Volunteering until 2023. This extension should enable the Government to intensify its support for organizations and volunteers in order to combat the impact of the social and economic crisis resulting from the pandemic and, at the same time, strengthen organized civil society and promote volunteering as an agent of social transformation.

 

Agenda of the week

Starting this afternoon, at the request of the President of the Government of Catalonia, a monographic plenary session will be held on mental health in Catalonia. Data from the World Health Organization indicate that one in four people will suffer some kind of mental health problem during their lifetime. The Government is aware of the importance of strengthening mental health care during all stages of life, from the earliest to the most advanced and that is why this monographic plenary session in the Parliament of Catalonia. It will address this emergency, that of the mental health of all Catalans.

For its part, the Department of External Action and Open Government  launches tomorrow a series of thematic round tables to encourage the participation of the citizens of Catalonia in the Conference on the future of Europe. This is an initiative of the European institutions to make visible the opinions and proposals of citizens, especially young people, in relation to the challenges and priorities of the Europe of the future through a participatory process at European level. The cycle that will now be launched by Foreign Action will take place this December and in January in each of the vegueries of Catalonia.

 

Minister Torrent participates tomorrow at midday in the inauguration of the Test Center Energy.

And finally, this weekend the Palace of the Government of Catalonia is scheduled to make two open days, on Saturday for workers of the Government and their families: teachers, health personnel, Mossos d'Esquadra Catalan Police Force, Firefighters and all staff of the administration may register for these open doors. And on Sunday there will be a second day open to all citizens. Registrations can be made through the website of the Government of Catalonia.