according to the Christmas message offered this Thursday by the president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa. The socialist has not even mentioned them, but he has asked to confront them, ignoring divisive speeches or those that resort to hate to make themselves heard and advocates putting emphasis on what unites. “We have to take care of the fraternity. These days and throughout the year,” the head of the Catalan Government assured in
“I am very aware of the difficulties we face, but we must not allow ourselves to be carried away by speeches that seek to divide us or by those loaded with hatred and pessimism,” Illa stated. “Catalonia will be with Valencia until the end,” he said at another point in the message, in memory of
Illa’s first Christmas at the Palau de la Generalitat has served to show that many things have changed in Catalonia, always avoiding abrupt cuts. In substance and form. The team of president has decided to keep the speech on the 26th, Sant Esteve, a change made by the previous Executive of Pere Aragonès. Traditionally it took place on the night of the 30th. Of course, the Government headquarters has been chosen as the setting again, after ERC opted for places such as the King Martí Depot, in the Catalan capital, or in
After more than a decade of interventions with a great political background, citizens who tuned in to the speech of the also leader of the PSC have found themselves with the closest thing to a cordial Christmas greeting from a Western ruler. “Christmas reminds us of the Christian roots of our society, but it also reminds us of the most universal human values. Peace and brotherhood,” said Illa. Last year, Aragonès asked for “singular financing.” In 2016, Carles Puigdemont committed to applying “without delay or excuses” the result of a referendum on independence that at that time was not on the table and that ended up being 1-O. “I will not allow, nor will I accept, that a court – and even less so a political board – supplant the sovereignty of the Catalans,” when the cause for which he was finally disqualified was on the table.
Except for the reference to the wars in Gaza, Syria and Ukraine – “we must remain firm in the defense of peace and dialogue, as we have always done in Catalonia” – and the tragedy of Valencia, Illa has separated from the approach given by his predecessors and has not wanted to go into detail about issues that are on the table and that will mark the rest of the legislature.
for being in the minority in the Chamber – it depends on the yes of ERC and the commons – nor the tortuous path that awaits him to advance in the unique financing for Catalonia that he agreed with the Republicans. Yes, he has chosen to take refuge in a call for fraternity “between family members, neighbors and territories.” “It is important that we reinforce what we share (…) when we share hopes, efforts and optimism we have made more progress,” he added.
