The Chief Executive made these declarations to journalists during this morning’s informative press conference at the Brussels Generalitat Delegation. The President was at the Belgian capital to speak at the “Destination Europe: The future of Catalonia in the European Union” conference, organized by the think tank “Friends of Europe”, one of the most influential in the European setting.

 

Artur Mas appealed to Europe’s safeguard in the Catalan political process and made reference to the European treaties which “don’t stipulate that Catalonia would be left out of the EU but neither do they specify the contrary”, he then added that the EU institutions have not established the position of the State “in case of a institutional separation in Spain”. The President expressed his wish, as a European citizen, that “the European institutions, instead of leaving people out, allow people in, just as they have done in the last decades”.

  

During the press conference, Mas explained that the “will of the people in Catalonia is to remain in the eurozone and to remain in the EU” adding that “the issue at hand is whether the European Union is prepared to offer solutions to the nations like Catalonia who want to change their political status”. “Our objective is not to be separate from the rest, all we want is to change our political standing” affirmed the President.

 

President Mas revealed that the reason for his trip to Brussels was to explain the situation which is occurring in Catalonia. “We want the same instruments that other European states have, according to our own needs, but within a strong and interdependent Europe” asserted the President.