BARCELONA, Spain- The president of Catalonia, the autonomous northern region in Spain seeking independence from Madrid, is meeting Wednesday for the first time with the Spanish prime minister in a show of goodwill for a dialogue amid a deepened political crisis. The Catalan News Agency quoted Carles Puigdemont as saying that Catalonia’s push for independence will be a core topic of discussion with Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. “Otherwise, it would be nonsense,” Puigdemont was quoted as saying, “bearing in mind that this government emerged from a pro-independence majority in the Parliament.” He said he hoped that “citizens’ demands” would be heard during the meeting, explaining that Catalonia’s push for independence “is not the property of a party or an institution” but “of a vast majority of the people.” Puigdemont has said he would like Rajoy to accept holding an independence referendum in Catalonia. The meeting coincides with a 100-day of mandate for Puigdemont. On Tuesday Puidgemont, who is the president of the Generalitat -- or Catalan Government -- announced 45 new laws that will put Catalonia “at the gates” of a new state. Puigdemont explained the government’s plan of “guaranteeing a welfare state” by “internal measures, but also by defending from external threats.” He was referring to the recent suspension by the Spanish Constitutional Court (TC) of a Catalan “energy poverty” bill, which guaranteed energy supply to poor families which could not pay their heating bills during winter. Another core idea of Puigdemont’s term in office is to promote economic recovery and improve the administration’s efficiency and transparency. Puigdemont also emphasized that “hindering” these measures would not “hinder” Catalonia’s political process but “the people’s needs.” The measures announced this Tuesday by Puigdemont aim to “revert the cuts and put Catalonia at the gates of its own state,” the Catalan president said. Although they are set to be launched during his term in office, he admitted that they are conditioned by the budget proposal, which still has to be approved, and by the calendar, which may change depending on the potential new elections to be held in Spain in June. Government sources told Rudaw that Rajoy would reaffirm his rejection of Catalonia’s secession, but will offer economic collaboration with the autonomous region. Catalan lawyer Juan Vives told Rudaw that Puigdemont’s meeting with Rajoy has a clear political agenda. “On the one hand the meeting will try to resolve the issue of the Catalan budget, but most importantly it would be politically beneficial for Rajoy,” he said. “I think the meeting is related to secret agreements in the formation of the next Spanish government on the one hand, and on the other hand for Catalonia to get more benefits in the budget which Madrid allocates to the autonomous regions of Spain,” he added. Right now, Rajoy leads an interim government until a new one is elected, either by agreements among political forces or in new elections. But the government says that the Constitution and the rule of law are not provisional, and will be used to stop Catalonia’s secession. The speaker of Rajoy’s Popular Party, Rafael Hernando, said his government “will not allow any type of concession” to Catalonia, since Rajoy has presented himself has the guarantor of the unity of Spain and its national sovereignty. Puigdemont also is planning to discuss with Rajoy the issue of refugees who are fleeing the wars in Syria and Iraq. Catalonia has offered to host 4,500 refugees, while the Spanish government has so far relocated only 18 migrants, besides having committed to assisting 6,127 refugees.
