“Catalonia will take its own steps forward”

Catalonia's President Mas made this declaration yesterday after meeting with councils from the four regions of Catalonia to discuss creating a Catalan Tributary Agency, analogous to the Internal Revenue Service. The original Catalan follows (as well as I have been able to transcribe it). As always when translating political discourse, which lends itself to multiple interpretations, I do my best to translate as literally as possible. Although this makes the text slightly more stilted, I think it's important that it reflect the original as closely as it can.

Of particular note is the statement that "Catalonia must take steps forward, and Catalonia will take its own steps forward".

You can find video of the event on Vilaweb Televisió.

"...the fiscal pact that I, as the president, and with a parliamentary mandate, and in addition, I believe a popular mandate reiterated in various elections, that I will try, tomorrow in Madrid, with President Rajoy, to defend, at least to defend, at least to discuss, and I hope they listen to it, I hope they listen, I hope they listen carefully, without prejudice, and that they see in our proposal, if they look at the whole thing, more a solution than a problem. Until now, they've looked at it, and some declarations have described it more as a problem than a solution. I will try tomorrow, as well [kindly, properly] as I can, to explain that this forms part of a possible solution. But, no matter what, no matter what, if what we're doing today, this tributary agreement between councils and the [central Catalan] government is the first step that comes from the fiscal pact, we will try to move the fiscal pact forward through agreement and understanding. But we have to note that in many sectors, and the tributary sector cannot be an exception, that Catalonia must take steps forward, and Catalonia will take its own steps forward. We will make every effort to do so through negotiation, understanding, and agreement. But in whichever case, we will take those steps, which is what we're doing today, because Catalonia cannot give up on its present nor can it give up on its future. And if we Catalans are clear on that point, no matter what happens in the next hours, days, weeks, and months, we will be able to take those steps in the direction that the country deserves and the country needs. Thank you very much."

"... pacte fiscal que jo com a president del país doncs i mandat parlamentari a més a més i crec que també per mandat popular reiterat en moltes diverses eleccions, que jo demà intentaré a Madrid amb el President Rajoy, doncs, defensar com a mínim defensar, com a mínim argumentar, espero que se'ns escolti, espero que se'ns escolti, espero que se'ens escolti atentament, sense prejudicis, veient en la nostra proposta, si es mira a fons, més una solució que no pas un problema. Fins ara s'ho miren i algunes declaracions van per aquí més com un problema que com una solució. Jo intentaré demà, tan bonament com pugui, explicar que això forma part d'una possible solució. Però en qualsevol cas, en qualsevol cas, si això que fem avui, aquest conveni tributari entre diputacions i govern és un primer pas que es deriva del pacte fiscal, el pacte fiscal, procurarem que vagi endavant per la via de l'acord i la via de l'entesa. Però hem de fer notar que amb molts àmbits, i l'àmbit tributari no en pot ser una excepció, Catalunya ha de fer camí, i Catalunya farà el seu camí. Procurarem que sigui per aquesta via del pacte, de l'entesa i de l'acord. I en qualsevol cas, farem el camí, que és el que estem fent avui, perque Catalunya no pot renunciar ni en el seu present ni pot renunciar en el seu futur. I si això les catalanes i els catalans ho tenim clar, i ho tenim assumit, passi el que passi en les properes hores, en els propers dies en les properes setmanes i els propers mesos, aquest camí el podrem fer en la línia que el pais mereix i que el pais necessita. Moltíssimes gràcies."