Catalan government to push for secession irrespective of Madrid approval

The regional government in Catalonia, Spain, is preparing to begin the process of secession from the country, whether they receive the backing from the national government in Madrid or not.

Catalan parliament president Carme Forcadell, and foreign affairs minister Raul Romeva, told the Guardian in an exclusive interview that they feel as if they have no choice.

“The [Spanish state] has left us feeling that we just don’t have an alternative,” Romeva said.

“We have always said that we would have preferred a Scottish-type scenario, where we could negotiate with the state and hold a coordinated and democratic referendum. We keep talking to Madrid, but all we get back from them is an echo.”

The Spanish government, currently led by acting prime minister Mariano Rajoy, has consistently refuted claims by Catalonia over its right to become an independent state, citing any potential referendum as illegal.

Public opinion is on the side of the separatists however, with 47.7% said to favour independence in a recent poll, compared with 42.4% against the idea.

Forcadell criticised the actions of the Madrid government, referring to a recent incident in which Spanish interior minister Jorge Fernández Díaz and Catalonia anti-fraud officer Daniel de Alfonso were recorded discussing ideas about how to bring proceedings against separatist politicians in the area.

“How can they say that when the interior minister, who’s meant to defend the interests of all citizens, is caught conspiring to find evidence against citizens solely because they think differently? How can absolutely nothing come of that? We don’t understand it,” said Forcadell.

Preparations for the creation of a independent state are already well underway, with the Junts Pel Si coalition government in the area pushing through legal steps to set up a tax authority and a foreign affairs department.

Rajoy has consistently used an argument of illegality in constitutional terms as reason for not allowing independence, and Romeva said that he does not believe it to be a valid argument.

“The Spanish government uses the question of legality a lot,” Romeva said, speaking to the Guardian. “But legality is an instrument; it needs to adapt to reality and to democratic will, and not the other way round.