globalcrisis/globalchange NEWS – 29.10.2017

Dear all,

daily many of us are trying to get solid information about Catalonia’s independence struggle and the field of social and political forces involved – within, in Spain, Europe …

In that regard — according to our experience — the Australian Live Blog Catalonia’s independence struggle is one of the most instructive.

This will be exemplified by an excerpt of yesterday’s timetable 11:00 – 22:00.

Greets,

Martin Zeis

Catalonia News-Ticker – edited by green-left-Weekly

https://www.greenleft.org.au/content/live-blog-catalonias-independence-struggle

Sa, 28.10.2017

2200 HOURS

• Sigma-Dos poll shows pro-independence forces losing their majority at December 21 election.

IF REGIONAL ELECTIONS WERE HELD IN CATALONIA TODAY, FOR WHICH PARTY WOULD YOU VOTE?
(NOTE: C’s is Citizens, PSC is Party of Socialists of Catalonia, PP is People’s Party, CSQP is Catalonia Yes We Can, PDeCat is Catalan European Democratic Party, ERC is Republican Left of Catalonia, CUP is People’s Unity List.

„Independ.“ if pro-independence, „Constit.“ is constitutionalist). Sample: 1000

1800 HOURS

What happens on Monday? Or how to resist the article 155 onslaught (main points of NacióDigital report)

Main points of the passive resistance being planned against article 155:

— Ministers and senior executive to go to work as normal, challenging the Spanish administration to remove them physically;
— Puigdemont to continue to work from the main government building (the „Palau“) in St James Square, Barcelona, protected by special group of Catalan police;
— Parliament to meet as usual (with meeting of speakership panel set for Tuesday);
— The main public sector union, USTEC, has voted not to accept instructions from executives imposed under aricle 155 intervention.

— Workers Commissions (CCOO) will not offer disobedience. However, many workplaces have had all-in mass meetings and voted that they will not accept orders from executives imposed from Madrid..

— The minority unity confederation Intersindical-CSC has already held over 30 mass meetings to impart methods of peaceful resistance.

• The PP demands that the Spanish and European flags, lowered from Sabadell town hall after Friday’s independence declaration, be re-hoisted.
• Former Catalan police chief Trapero’s replacement leaves structures and personnel of his predecessor unchanged.
• Spanish government complains that Catalan public television Channel 3 presented Juigdemont as „president“.

1600 HOURS

[TWEET] Juan José Ibarretxe (former Basque premier): „Respect, affection and recognition for the Catalan Republic.“

• Catalan police chief Trapero acccepts his dismissal, writing an open letter to all members of the force asking them to „continue building the future“.
• New Omnium Cultural video „Welcome Catalonia“. see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=12&v=IXisXxAnAtM

1500 HOURS

• Catalan President Carles Puigdemont gives public address over Channel 3

„The best way we have for defending the achievements made to date is democratic opposition to the application of article 155“

October 28, 2017

Dear compatriots,

Yesterday we lived through a historic day, a day full of democratic and civic significance. The Parliament of Catalonia fulfilled what the citizens voted for on September 27, 2015, when the majority that emerged from the ballot box entrusted Parliament with the proclamation of independence.

Yesterday, too, the Spanish Council of Ministers agreed to the sacking of the entire Government of Catalonia, intervention into our self-government and the dissolving of Parliament. These are decisions contrary to the will of the citizens of our country as expressed at the polls. They know perfectly well that in a democratic society it is up to parliaments to choose or dismiss presidents.

However, citizens, in these first moments, all of you have understood that the phase we have now entered we must continue to defend — with a tireless civic spirit and with a commitment to peace. Your reaction is that of a mature country that knows where it wants to go and how it wants to arrive there. Let’s not get diverted from that: let’s continue to persevere in the only attitude that can make us winners. Without violence, without insults, in an inclusive way, respecting people, symbols and opinions and also respecting the protests of Catalans who do not agree with what has been decided by the parliamentary majority.

Our desire is to continue working to fulfil our democratic mandates and at the same time seek maximum stability and calm, understanding the difficulties logically involved in a phase of this kind, one that our country has never been through, in any case never before in the way that is happening now.

The message I would like to address to you is this: let’s have patience, perseverance and perspective. On that basis we can be clear that the best way to defend the gains won to date is through democratic opposition to the application of article 155, which is the end point of a premeditated aggression against the will of we Catalans who by a very large majority and over many years have felt ourselves to be a nation of Europe.

We have to do this by protecting ourselves against repression and threats, but doing that without ever, ever in our life, not at any moment, abandoning a public-spirited and peaceful conduct. We can’t be, nor do we ever want to be, right through might. Not us. I ask this of you convinced that this request is what everyone expects, also from outside our country.

We shall continue working to build a free country, to guarantee a society that has less injustcess, more equality, more solidarity and more fraternity with all the peoples of the world, starting with the peoples of Spain with whom we want to strengthen ties on the basis of respect and mutual recognition.

Thank you very much.

Carles Puigdemont and Casamajó
President of the Generalitat [Government] of Catalonia

1400 HOURS

• Spanish government appoints number two of Catalan police force (Mossos d’Esquadra) to be the new chief.

1300 HOURS

[TWEET] Mikko Kärnä (Finnish Centre Party, for seat in Lapland): Congratulations to the independent Republic of #Catalonia. Next week I will submit a motion to the Finnish Parliament for your recognition. [October 27]

• Council of Rubí (Vallès Occidental) votes not to condemn article 155 intervention on casting vote of mayoress.
• Spanish government appoints Ferran López, the number two of the Catalan police, as chief.
• Lleida mayor Àngel Ros (front line, in grey jacket, with glasses) takes part in unionist demonstration in Lleida.
• God relieved (in the Spanish state): „The chairman of the Spanish Episcopal Conference, Ricardo Blázquez, today expressed support for efforts to restore the constitutional order under article 155.“ (Europa Press)

1200 HOURS

• Ferran Mascarell, the Catalan delegate to the Spanish government sacked by Rajoy, will appeal the decision to the courts because the article 155 resolution adopted by the Senate is „manifestly unconstitutional“.
• Albano Dante Fachín (Podemos Catalonia): „It would be an enormous contradiction to say one million times „No“ to 155 and then take part in elections as if nothing had happened ... At the present time I personally find it very hard to think of the December 21 elections as normal elections while the Jordis are in jail.“

1100 HOURS

• St Carles de Ràpita raises the senyera in celebration of the declaration of the Catalan Republic.

Some international press front covers on the declaration of Catalan Republic. ……