Barcelona & Cataluña
His investiture speech was eclipsed by the passing of the independence resolution and the refusal of the CUP (Popular Unity Candidacy) to support him.
Nov 10, 2015 - 6:05 AM
Artur Mas was unable to be re-elected as President of the Catalan Regional Government yesterday
His investiture speech was eclipsed by the passing of the independence resolution and the refusal of the CUP (Popular Unity Candidacy) to support him.
Nov 10, 2015 - 6:05 AM
Artur Mas warned the CUP without their support the independence process would run aground and claimed ‘we are now legitimated to construct the Catalan republic’ despite the fact the separatists failed to win a majority vote in the Catalan Regional Election on September 27 when the group of parties obtained 47.8% of the votes, although Mas argues Junts pel Sí (together for yes) and CUP (Democratic Convergence of Cataluña) in coalition obtained an overall majority in seats.
His investiture speech was divided into two blocks. The first directed at Madrid and the national parties to whom he called again for a referendum on independence to be allowed ‘as in Scotland and Quebec’.
‘The State does not want to understand. It wants to destroy’ and even speaking in Castellano to make his accusations against Central Government he argued ‘Who wants to live in State where those who want to organise a referendum to know the opinion of the public are criminally pursued’.
The second block was an appeal to the CUP. Their ten deputies, who yesterday did not vote for the acting President, hold the key as to his continuation or removal. He claimed the veto against the Catalan consultation had been imposed by an anti-democratic formation ‘We have a gigantic challenge ahead and have no one to spare’.
Finally, he used a naval metaphor to put pressure on CUP ‘If there is not enough control between the rudder and the sails, the yacht could turn over’.
After the event, the CUP proved inflexible when speaking to the press saying they were determined to achieve a Catalan Republic ‘who ever is leader’ and despite admitted some ‘positive points’ in the Mas speech, CUP spokesman Albert Botran attacked the ‘clamorous absence’ of any reference to corruption. He was right in his observation; the acting president made no reference to the 3% commissions his party had been accepting, nor of the Pujol family and merely mentioned some measures about transparency in public tenders.
Artur Mas in Parliament
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His investiture speech was divided into two blocks. The first directed at Madrid and the national parties to whom he called again for a referendum on independence to be allowed ‘as in Scotland and Quebec’.
‘The State does not want to understand. It wants to destroy’ and even speaking in Castellano to make his accusations against Central Government he argued ‘Who wants to live in State where those who want to organise a referendum to know the opinion of the public are criminally pursued’.
The second block was an appeal to the CUP. Their ten deputies, who yesterday did not vote for the acting President, hold the key as to his continuation or removal. He claimed the veto against the Catalan consultation had been imposed by an anti-democratic formation ‘We have a gigantic challenge ahead and have no one to spare’.
Finally, he used a naval metaphor to put pressure on CUP ‘If there is not enough control between the rudder and the sails, the yacht could turn over’.
After the event, the CUP proved inflexible when speaking to the press saying they were determined to achieve a Catalan Republic ‘who ever is leader’ and despite admitted some ‘positive points’ in the Mas speech, CUP spokesman Albert Botran attacked the ‘clamorous absence’ of any reference to corruption. He was right in his observation; the acting president made no reference to the 3% commissions his party had been accepting, nor of the Pujol family and merely mentioned some measures about transparency in public tenders.
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