- The head of the Executive believes that the amnesty law passed today by the Spanish Congress of Deputies is a “historic milestone,” and maintains that the Government of Catalonia and Catalan society “will be vigilant” to see that “it is applied to everyone, and as quickly as possible”
- He pointed out that “the amnesty does not in itself resolve the conflict between the Spanish Government and Catalonia,” but it paves the way to addressing its causes and “approaching them through negotiation, giving citizens the final word”
The acting president of the Government of Catalonia, Pere Aragonès i Garcia, described the amnesty law passed by the Spanish Congress of Deputies this morning as “a victory for the country.”“The amnesty that seemed impossible is today a real victory for our country, which tells us that the citizens of Catalonia can achieve everything they set their minds to, and that the future is in our hands,” he emphasised.
In an institutional statement from the Palau de la Generalitat, the head of the Executive pointed out that the law “brings all judicial persecution of the independence movement to an end,” and constitutes “recognition that exercising our sovereignty can never be considered a crime.”
The President thanked those who “have placed their trust in the power of the word and in the power of negotiation and dialogue,” and expressed his “institutional recognition and solidarity” with all those affected by the repression. He stressed that the Government of the Generalitat and Catalan society as a whole will be “vigilant in ensuring that the amnesty is applied to everyone and as quickly as possible.”
“Today we have made the Spanish Government put an end to years of imprisonment and exile,” said the President, as well as judicial threats, disqualifications from office, fines and asset seizures, “which had no other purpose than to make us give up, bow our heads and abandon our ideas.” “But our political commitment to our country and to the rights and freedoms of the citizens of Catalonia is completely indestructible,” he said.
Despite the law being passed, Aragonès warned that “it will be necessary to continue defending it against those who wish to use all means possible to prevent it from becoming a reality,” and he maintained his conviction that “it is an opportunity to move forward in resolving the conflict over sovereignty with the Spanish Government.”
In this context, he argued that despite being “a very important step”, “the amnesty does not in itself resolve the conflict between the Spanish Government and Catalonia”, and that it will be necessary to “address the roots of the conflict and approach them through negotiation, embracing democratic principles and giving the citizens of Catalonia the final word.”
“That is the opportunity that opens up before us today, which begins today with the passing of the amnesty law. For this reason, I am convinced that the amnesty is a historic milestone in terms of rights and freedoms, in democratic terms; a historic milestone on the road to full freedom that Catalan society will know how to use to the full,” he concluded.
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