The first five candidates on the Junts pel Sí electoral list for Barcelona, Raül Romeva, Carme Forcadell, Muriel Casals, Artur Mas and Oriol Junqueras, as well as the heads of the lists for Girona, Tarragona and Lleida, Lluís Llach, Germà Bel and Josep Maria Forné, have published a letter in ‘El País’ newspaper responding to the controversial statements by former Spanish prime minister, Felipe González.
The letter says that in the potential Catalan State “one will be able to live as a Spaniard without any problem, while now it is almost impossible to be a Catalan in the Spanish State.” “The problem is not Spain, it is the Spanish State, which treats us like subjects,” it said.
“For four years it has offended the dignity of our institutions. That is why a longing for hope has sprouted all over the country,” says the letter, adding that Catalonia “is a strong, plural and cohesive society” and that it will continue to be so “despite the negative forecasts that are cruelly expressed.” Moreover, the leaders made it clear that it is impossible “to live together as the object of insults, bad treatment and threats.”
