Facing the different "threats" and "provocations" from the Spanish state, the response has to be to fill ballot boxes with votes. That was the message from Catalan president Carles Puigdemont this Saturday afternoon in a speech at the National Council of his PDeCAT party (Catalan European Democratic Party). "They can intercede in printing houses and surround local media outlets with Civil Guards, but on 1st October we'll overwhelm them at the ballot boxes", said the president, in reference to events this Friday and Saturday.
Puigdemont set what he called "operation provocation" in the framework of other operations like "operation patrimony" and "operation sewers" aka 'operation Catalonia', alleged previous attempts by the Spanish government to block the independence process by dubious means. According to the president, these operations have "the same perpetrators" and are the fruit of desperation and impotence. "Desperation because they can't explain how this 'soufflé' has lasted so long, and impotence because, with more lawsuits, more people are committed and the [Catalan] government is more determined," he argued. 'Soufflé' is a common description of the independence movement used by unionists, implying the idea that it has grown on the back of the financial crisis and so remains weak and liable to collapse
The laws of disconnection passed this week by Junts pel Sí (Together for Yes, a group including PDeCAT) and CUP (Popular Unity Candidacy) are based on "the legality and the legitimacy of an agreement of the Parliament of Catalonia," he said. He made it clear that the Spanish Constitutional Court, which he considers to be "illegitimate" and "complicit" with the Spanish government, "won't be able to strike it down". He maintained that the 1st October vote is protected by the law, by "the peoples' right to self-determination".
Puigdemont said sarcastically that they're now "surprised" because the Catalan government has done what it said it would, something "unprecedented in Spanish politics". He reiterated his commitment to fulfil his promise to carry out the referendum, even facing a Spanish state he describes as "scared of democracy and authoritarian". He also said that the Spanish government has made a mistake thinking that it would persuade the Catalan people "based on threats and insults".
"We won't fall for their provocations", the president said, adding "we will cause the fall of all the obstacles and impediments". According to Puigdemont, "whatever the Constitutional Court, cabinet or state ministries say, when a people wants to vote they expect two things: that they're allowed to and that the decision is respected".
“Aplaudits per Ciutadans”
Without explicitly referring to them, the president also had a message for the En Comú (In Common) parties. "Some are voluntarily, enthusiastically taking part in the provocations and there are others who fall for it hook, line and sinker and don't even realise it when they're get a standing ovation" said the president, two days after Joan Coscubiela, of CSQP (Catalonia Yes We Can) was applauded in the Parliament by Ciutadans (Citizens), PSC (Socialists' Party of Catalonia) and PP (Popular Party).
According to Puigdemont, there are some who "started the parliament with referendum posters and have ended up being applauded by [anti-referendum] Ciutadans". He ended with a warning for those who say that 1st October has no democratic guarantees: "Any democratic guarantee that isn't putting it into the hands of the people will be a guarantee, but won't be democratic".
In her initial remarks, the national coordinator of PDeCAT, Marta Pascal, invited those convicted on charges relating to the 2014 unofficial referendum, former president Artur Mas, Joana Ortega, Francesc Homs and Irene Rigau to go onto the stage. The party's national councillors gave them a long applause and shouts of "I'm not scared". The same was given to the deputies that approved the laws of disconnection and the mayors that have signed decrees supporting 1st October.