The Onze de Setembre demonstration coincides this time in full negotiations for the investiture of President of the Government. The president of the ANC, Dolors Feliu, continues to be in favor of confrontation and gives few possibilities for negotiation. Besides. she fears that with an amnesty the lawsuits presented before the European Court of Human Rights will decline.
The ANC accused ERC and Junts of “laundering the State before Europe” with the agreements by the Congress Table. Because?
Because we should confront ourselves against the Spanish State that harshly represses and retaliates. In recent days we have had arrests of people who had not done anything. They carried out protest actions as has been done in the Tour and there they did not lead to prisons and these flagrant arrests, And Pegasus… And instead we see that these agreements that have been reached for the Table are on issues that do not address that desire for independence of Catalonia. It is true that the great milestone of the investiture is now pending and now we are vigilant.
But the National Police affirms that the four CDR arrested intended to throw 400 liters of oil on the C-55 at the Vuelta pass.
This is the police version. Obviously sabotage is sabotage, it is protest actions. But nothing happened. It is a great repression, unimaginable in other places. We understand that the Vuelta is a true provocation, because it is not only a sporting event, but it is also a symbolism of the Spanish State, a propaganda of the Spain brand. It is a very clear provocation.
Do you think that Junts is currently making confrontation?
I didn’t think there was a confrontation. It seems to me that there is negotiation. It’s not that it seemed that way to me, it’s just that it has been like that, clearly, and now we are waiting to see what happens with the investiture. We do ask for confrontation to achieve independence and not negotiation at all.
But do you expect something from that negotiation for the investiture?
What should be put on the table is respect for Catalonia and its desire to achieve independence. Spain should democratically accept this premise of the right to self-determination, which is also included in international treaties, in the pact on civil and political rights. The alternative is obviously the blockade, not accepting that it is necessary to collaborate in the governability of the Spanish State as long as it does not accept this democratic will of Catalonia. Let us remember that since 2012 in all the Catalan elections there are pro-independence majorities and this has not warranted any kind of reflection of a democratic approach by the Spanish State. Therefore, little will be done in this regard.
You have not referred to the amnesty…
Amnesty is being offered to a number of people who are suffering greatly at the moment. It would be very good if the indictments and judicial processes could be overcome. But the amnesty cannot be a trap to falsely close what the Spanish State calls the conflict in Catalonia. It should address substantive solutions to the conflict and recognize 1-O and that there may be a declaration of independence, the right to self-determination, and that there will be no more people retaliated against. If we only keep half, that all legal cases are closed, but we do not address the root cause, which is Catalonia’s will to be independent, we close it falsely and give a false international image that the conflict has ended without being able to give a legal and peaceful path to the will to be an independent state.
Do you fear that with the amnesty the European judicial channel will be deactivated and, therefore, that the European Court of Human Rights will not be able to rule?
An amnesty that only resolves cases and not the fund could effectively deactivate all these international claims, because when all the lawsuits disappear, the legal journey ends. And not only that, but from an international point of view, the fact that elected representatives of the independence movement accept an amnesty with nothing as the objective of the cause, that is, independence, and without recognition of the 1O and the option of having independence in Catalonia by specific and democratic means, would mean that this photo would be terminated. If you eliminate the past, what is weakened is the struggle and you give more repression to the future. Will those independentists who continue to be so after the amnesty need another amnesty the next day? What we really need is independence.
Should Borràs be included in the amnesty?
The amnesty does not refer to specific cases, but to facts related to certain principles. In other words, if we are talking about all the events related to 1-O, with the pro-independence protests, all the events linked to the repression of pro-independence, well, that’s the whole package. Then, those that are put inside should be analyzed on a case-by-case basis.
But is it lawfare?
It could be a lawfare case. In fact, the sentence itself already includes the request for pardon. That’s pretty spectacular. But it will also be necessary to see whether or not it is included in this principle of amnesty for the independence movement.
A PSOE in Moncloa demobilizes the independence movement, and a PP with Vox mobilizes it?
A PSOE can be as anti-independence as a PP. They showed it with the 155. We must be clear that it only depends on us and going out.
If amnesty is achieved after a negotiation, but nothing in terms of self-determination, would you be in favor of blocking the investiture?
Yes. Amnesty is not enough. It can even become a trap. We believe that if an agreement with only amnesty is proposed, it should not be accepted and there should be a blockade in the Spanish State. If there is an amnesty attempt and no self-determination on the table, we understand that it should go away and not support the investigation of any president of the Spanish Government.
Would an ERC and Junts pact with the PSOE, which did not include any of that, favor the formation of the civic list that they promote to stand in the Parliamentary elections?
Surely yes.
Why surely?
Because every day in our country we see that things happen to be analyzed and, therefore, we keep all the scenarios open. If there is no behavior to achieve independence either – something that does not exist now, for example – obviously the civic list would be presented, always taking into account that there must be the will of the members of the Assembly behind it.
Do you approve of a dialogue in PP-Junts?
I do not believe that a PP-Junts dialogue will bring us closer to independence or give us any favorable element to achieve independence. I don’t think there is much to do. On the other hand, they will know what they speak and what they do not speak within what are the parliamentary dynamics.
Will Aragonés attend the Day demonstration organized by the ANC this time?
The demonstration is called for independence and the Assembly tries to be fully consistent with this objective and say what we sincerely think in conscience to achieve independence. From there, if our statements at any time are not liked or pressured by the parties… well, they are very free to do what they see fit. We would understand that the president was there, and it would be nice if he was there. But, obviously, he and his political party also make their own assessments. Nothing to say.
In addition to claiming independence, what should the demonstration serve for?
The fact that we all show that this great demand for independence exists, that we do not want discounts, that we do not want negotiations of other types, is on the table. We have had a great repression, we have had pandemics, we have had demobilization, but the desire for independence remains firm and will not be lowered with other milestones. They always make a fantasy that the process has ended.
