"Largely Symbolic"

"Largely Symbolic" That's how the AP has described Catalonia's landmark Declaration of Sovereignty. On the one hand, that's true: declaring a country's sovereignty is loaded with symbolism. Here is Catalonia finally standing up and saying that it has the right to decide its own future. But if you interpret "largely symbolic" as "having little legal standing" as those newspapers seem to do, then you'd be grossly misled. The Parliament of Catalonia was elected on November 25, 2012 with the highest turnout that that Parliament has ever seen. The Declaration of Sovereignty was approved by a favorable vote of 85 of the 135 Members. It is a monumental step on the road to independence. Symbolic for its significance, I'll give you that.

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Updates:

Great to see an accurate portrayal in CNN: Catalan Parliament declaration pushes self-determination
"It is not an outright statement of independence, but parliament's declaration insists that the Catalan people, in northeast Spain around Barcelona, have the right to self-determination."

Here's the initial roundup of the immediate coverage of the Catalan Parliament Declaration of Sovereignty, which is distressingly limited to repeated versions of the AP article, a better one from Reuters, and another from DPA, a German press agency.

Europa Online Magazine pretty much has the facts straight (from DPA): Catalan Parliament approves referendum on independence
"The parliament of the large north-eastern Spanish region of Catalonia on Wednesday approved a declaration paving the way for a referendum on independence, despite objections from the national government in Madrid."

And here is the Reuter's story, as it appears in EuroNews Catalan lawmakers pass resolution on sovereignty

EITB.com Catalonia votes on motion calling for right to decide political status

GMA News Online: Catalan lawmakers pass resolution on sovereignty
"Catalonia's parliament approved on Wednesday a declaration of sovereignty signalling the start of an uncertain journey towards a referendum on independence from Spain for the northeastern region."

ABC was first to carry the stilted AP story: Catalonia Declares Itself a Sovereign Entity It's also being carried by The Guardian, Huffington Post, Washington Post and Fox News

Reuters has someone on the ground: photograph: Catalunya's separatist supporters meet at the entrance of Catalunya's Parliament during a session in Barcelona

Catalan News Roundup Nov 21 (including Guardian)

[This is an outrageous title, something akin to "feminists awaken domestic abusers"]
Financial Times: Separatists reawaken Spanish nationalism

No need for bond investors to panic yet

"Brussels is supporting warnings that EU membership would not be automatic, but it is hard to see Catalonia being excluded. Its economy is the same size as Greece, and kicking it out of the euro would be damaging."

Immovable laws are surely no obstacle

BBC: Catalonia Profile

The Independent: Regional elections in Spain could mean independence for Catalonia

The Guardian: Pretty impressive monographic on Catalonia during week before elections

Catalonia tales: 'We agree on almost everything... just, um, not on this'


Catalonia tales: 'I can't see anything but a hypocritical interest in independence'

British expats unconvinced by Catalonian independence

Catalonia tales: 'I think we have waited long enough and it's time to move forward'

With Spain, Catalonia is doomed to failure

Catalan artistic vitality might not thrive in splendid isolation

[This next is a terribly slanted article, not bothering to interview the two large groups of small and medium business owners who are pro-independence.]
Catalonian companies fear for future if region splits from Spain


Catalonia independence: the views of foreigners who live there

Catalans celebrate their difference – up to a point

Immigration complicates Catalonia's separatist picture


The historic hurdles to Catalonia's independence


What Catalans love: human towers and a less exciting hokey cokey


Would Catalonia be better as an independent nation?


A Catalan history of Spain – interactive

Catalonia elections 2012: Madrid residents discuss independence - video

Catalonia tales: your views on the vote for independence

Catalonia's tax burden: 'If you put up with it, they keep taking your money'


If Catalonia wins independence, where will it end?


Catalonia's leader tries to ride secessionist wave


The case for Catalonia's independence


Catalonia is voting on its future in Spain – and Madrid is worried


Is there a lesson for Catalonia in the Czechoslovakian 'velvet divorce'?

Catalan News Roundup Oct 6

Oh my!

New York Times: Catalan Leader Boldly Grasps a Separatist Lever, by Raphael Minder
"ARTUR MAS, the leader of Catalonia, has a clear message for Madrid: He is serious about his threat to let the people of Spain’s most economically powerful region decide for themselves in a referendum whether they should remain a part of Spain. "

"Mr. Mas’s talk is not idle. With a $260 billion economy that is roughly the size of Portugal’s, an independent Catalonia and its 7.5 million inhabitants — 16 percent of Spain’s population — would rank ahead of a dozen of the 27 nations in the European Union."

Catalan News Roundup Oct 5 2012

Updated: 10:16pm ET

BBC News World: Catalan leaders seek independence vote, legal or not, by Paul Mason Includes video report.
"I ask [Oriol Pujol], point blank if the region will call a referendum in defiance of the national courts and constitution.

"There will be no way to avoid it. If we don't deliver it someone else will. More radical parties. But in a negotiation," he smiles, "it's not the best thing to reveal what you are going to do next.""

CNN: More than a game: Austerity gives El Clasico new twist
"After 17 minutes and 14 seconds of Sunday's "El Clasico" encounter with Real Madrid, Barcelona fans will offer a vocal demonstration of why the club's motto is "mes que un club" -- more than a club.

The team's Nou Camp stadium will erupt with the sound of the Catalan national anthem, sung in the language native to this semi-autonomous region of Spain."

Sports Illustrated: Inside Barcelona: Fierce rivalry with Real Madrid unlike any in U.S., by Grant Wahl
"But there is much more history off the field. I explain the political aspect and the connections to the Spanish Civil War in more detail in my story in this week's Sports Illustrated magazine, but it's fair to say here that for many of the seven million Catalans, Barça is a leading symbol of Catalonian identity and the desire for independence from Spain. Meanwhile, for millions in the rest of the country, Real Madrid is a leading symbol of Castilian Spain, a team that was the favorite of the former Spanish dictator, General Francisco Franco, and a triumphant face of the country to Europe going back to Real Madrid's five straight European Cups in 1956-60."

Independent: Barcelona versus Real Madrid: Catalan flag to fly at El Clasico, by Pete Jenson
"Barcelona could register with another regional federation or they could simply ask for special dispensation – Andorra, after all, play in the third tier of Spanish football. Such moves would probably not be vetoed by a league that needs the appeal Barça brings. And if there was resistance Ligue Une might see the chance to boost its revenue, Barcelona being as near to Paris as it is to Seville."

Bloomberg: Real Madrid vs Barcelona Will Be as Much Politics as Soccer, by Marc Champion

"Talk to people in Barcelona, the main city of Catalonia this week, and pretty much all you get is history, with a dash of soccer and a side order of economic crisis. Yes, unemployment is terrible, but what fills the newspapers and discussion at the city's tapas bars is the question of Catalonia bidding for independence from Spain."
[Frankly, I found this article a bit sloppy.]

The Economist: Hostage to Catalonia
"It would be absurd to be based in a country that had a different language, Catalan, as its official tongue."
[Oh come, on Economist, that's what Lara said, but everyone knows that it's absurd to think that Spanish won't continue to be spoken in Catalonia for a long time. And Lara himself will go exactly nowhere.]

The Guardian: Barcelona v Real Madrid: Why this time it really is more than just about football, by Giles Tremlett
"In front of a television audience of some 400 million people, nearly 100,000 voices in a sold-out Camp Nou are set to bellow "Independence! Independence!" at two carefully co-ordinated moments during the match."

Roger Cohen has a piece in the New York Times that mostly chronicles fraud and the real estate bubble in Valencia and other regions of Spain, with a few mentions of Catalonia's increasing frustration. I was disappointed that he called for "constitutional reform" without recognizing its absolute impossibility thanks to refusal of centralist People's Party and PSOE. I'll give him points for the title though, which reflects my favorite parable. And just the fact that the NYT's Opinion page has had two big articles on Spain and Catalonia this week is telling in itself:

In the Time of Skinny Cows, by Roger Cohen
"Having Madrid as the tax collector redistributing to Barcelona and Valencia is cumbersome and provocative. The country’s new high-speed trains are impressive, but it’s striking — not least to Catalans — that all lines lead to Madrid. "

The Economist: Mysterious Mariano
"On top of the economic crisis, he must now confront an unexpected constitutional one. Mr Rajoy’s attempt to rein in spending in Spain’s highly autonomous regions, which provide big-ticket services like health and education, has rekindled nationalism in Catalonia"

The Parliament: Leading MEP caught up in Catalan "independence" row, by Martin Banks
""These kinds of careless remarks undermine everything democrats have fought for over the past 60 years and have no place in today's society.""

About Spain
Reuters: Exclusive: Euro zone considering bond insurance for Spain
"One senior European source said the plan could cost about 50 billion euros ($64.5 billion) for a year. It would enable Spain to cover its full funding needs and trigger potentially unlimited European Central bank buying of short-term Spanish bonds in the secondary market."

CNBC: Spain's Finance Minister's 'No Bailout' Remark Sparks Laughter
Will_1981 kindly found the audio from De Guindos' presentation. If anyone listens long enough to find the good bit, please let me know what time it occurs.

Catalan News Roundup Oct 3, 2012

Updated: 4:34pm.

Just wow. Be sure and read the whole thing.

New York Times Op-Ed: Spanish Prisoners, by Ricard González and Jaume Clotet
"But money isn’t the only cause of secessionist sentiment. We Catalans have long been attached to our distinct identity and never accepted the loss of national sovereignty after being defeated by the Spanish monarchy in 1714. For three centuries, Catalonia has striven to regain its independence. Most attempts to establish a state were put down by force. The “Catalan question” was a major catalyst of the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s, and Gen. Francisco Franco’s dictatorship harshly repressed Catalan culture."

AFP/Business Recorder: Catalonia president says bailout for Spain "inevitable"
""I understand from the information we have that Spain will end up having to have a rescue," he added. "Spain has the potential to emerge from this situation but it needs help for a period.""

Nació Digital, translated by Reagrupament International: Independentism is growing also among Catalan businessmen and employers", GD Crouch (USA) by Adrià Costa
"- During my three-year staying here I noticed that this independentist tendency is growing up among Catalans, and not only among leftist or nationalist parties but also among professionals, businessmen and employers. I understand there is some kind of frustration in the relation between Catalonia and Madrid, not only based on the financial system but also because of this widely spread feeling that Madrid, or the rest of Spain, don’t understand the Catalan situation. Again we don’t have about this any official position as it is a domestic matter, but we are following up its evolution very closely and we will keep doing so. "

pressEurop: A scale model of European implosion
"In the context of the demand for constitutional change, the new budgetary pact between Madrid and the autonomous regions appears, by virtue of its obsession with austerity, to be a monument to the absence of political horse sense: specifically with regard to the refusal to envisage the explosive consequences that major cuts in public funding would have on relations between the central government and the regions. In Spain, like in Portugal and Greece, the pyromaniacs from Berlin and their local assistants have succeeded in setting a torch to the social equilibrium, with no thought for the terrible demons that may be awakened by the uninterrupted blaze of the sacrificial fire that must be kept stoked on the altar to the goddess of austerity."

Euractiv: Spain: Reform or break-up, by Joan Marc Simón
"It doesn’t matter anymore; time is over for Spain as we know it. The time for unitarian, centralist and opaque Spain is over."

The Voice of Russia: Difficult together and difficult apart, by Mamonov Roman
"Catalans make about 16% of the entire Spanish population but produce 23% of the GDP which is comparable with the GDP of Finland or Denmark. The per capita GDP is only a little lower than in Germany."

Catalan News Agency: The People's Party blocks redistributing the deficit targets among government levels in 2012 and 2013
"The Autonomies have undertaken 70% of Spain’s deficit adjustments while they represent 39% of the public spending"

PressTV: Catalonia warns Madrid against meddling
"The president added that interference will only lead to ever stronger sentiment for independence. "

New York Times: Spanish Regions Agree to National Deficit Plan, by Raphael Minder
" Mr. Mas, however, did not raise the issue of separation at the meeting of regional leaders on Tuesday, according to other participants, and left Madrid without issuing a statement. "

Peripherally about Catalonia:

Reuters: Spain's tax take tumbles as companies go abroad
""Big corporations are paying less and less in taxes. Their profits have not fallen at the same pace that their (Spanish) tax contribution has fallen," said Carlos Cruzado, chairman of Treasury Ministry trade union GESTHA."

Wall Street Journal: Stocks Drop as Spain Seemingly Delays Bailout Request

The Guardian: Spain's PM says bailout not imminent, by Philip Inman and Helena Smith
"Rajoy, who is becoming notorious for prevarication, is understood to have asked for a delay until after elections in his home region of Galicia set for next month.

The prime minister fears his PP party will lose the election if he is forced to accept a humiliating rescue package in advance of the vote."

Catalan News Roundup 2 Oct 2012

Updated 1:15pm ET, I'll update further during the day if necessary.

BBC: Unrest drags Spain towards buried unpleasant truths
"The "pact of silence" instituted after the fall of General Franco was seen as a price worth paying for rapid, peaceful transition to a functioning democracy - a democracy that, moreover, found space to accommodate a strong, previously clandestine Communist Party alongside the rapidly moderating socialists of the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party)."

New York Times Editorial: Spanish Protests, German Prescriptions
"Spain’s current debt problems are not the result of profligate government spending during the boom years. They came from the abrupt collapse of a reckless housing bubble in the private sector, fueled by artificially cheap credit. The bursting of that bubble wiped out millions of Spanish jobs, dragging down tax revenues and consumer spending. It also forced the government to pledge billions of euros that it did not have and could no longer raise to rescue its tottering banking system. New cuts to remaining jobs and spending power will not bring recovery. It would only bring further misery and turmoil.

The Sunday Times: Will Spain Be Torn Apart? (subscription)
"What had seemed only a decade ago like the far-fetched dream of a few on the fringe of Spanish political life has suddenly become a mainstream aspiration as the eurozone financial crisis fuels demands in the northeastern region of..."

Catalan News Roundup Oct 1, 2012

Looking at Catalonia from different angles: investing, film, and from the government's point of view.

Updated 6:07pm ET

Financial Times: Debate over Catalan secession hots up, by Julius Purcell in Barcelona
"The Catalan Socialist, and conservative Popular party, both running on anti-independence tickets, however, look set for heavy losses."

Seeking Alpha (Investment advice): It's Time for Madrid to Pay the Piper, by Kyle Spencer
"Considering Catalonia's enviable debt-to-GDP ratio under the last four administrations, it's not difficult to understand why Catalonia would want out of the Spanish brand."

Variety: Crisis-proof pix survive subsidy cuts (Regional Report: Catalonia), by Emilio Mayorga, John Hopewell
"An advantage in tough times, genre doesn't demand a conspicuous cast, Filmax chair Julio Fernandez argues. So budgets can focus on attracting top-drawer technicians.
Catalonia has these in droves, many of whom are Escac film school alums."

Catalan Government Press Office: President Mas: "The voice of a people cannot be silenced by creating fear"
"In response to a question by a Swiss television channel regarding the reaction of the financial markets to the snap elections, President Mas explained that Catalonia “even though it lacks the instruments of a state and over the past thirty years has been subjected to an unprecedented fiscal deficit with the Spanish state” has managed to convert itself “into one of the most open economies in Europe”. As an example, he mentioned the fact that Catalonia has become a centre of attraction in southern Europe, not just in the field of tourism, but also in research and science thanks to its universities and business schools."

Catalan News Roundup 30 Sept 2012

Each day there are more and more articles published about Catalonia. And searching for them reveals that many of these are copies, perhaps from a wire service like AP or from cooperating newspapers in different countries. Often, the headline is the only difference from one source to the next, and it is the byline, or a specific quote that really identifies the article. Nevertheless, I find it interesting that it is just a few articles (though many more than ever before) that are being picked up by so many newspapers across the globe. Again, I started this blog because I couldn't find *any* English-language news about Catalonia. Now, there is so much it's hard to keep up with.

As ever, updating throughout the day. Posted 4:39pm ET.

Ara.Cat (translated here at News Catalonia): Vice President of European Commission Denies that an Independent Catalonia would be Forced out of EU (Original article in Catalan here)

AP/Washington Post/Daily Beast/Houston Chronicle/Cleveland Plain Dealer/NPR/Yahoo News/Palm Beach Post: Spain crisis fuels Catalan Sentiment, by Joseph Wilson

Al Jazeera: Catalonians press for secession from Spain by Sam Bollier
"For instance, Giner told Al Jazeera that although the Spanish constitution obliges the state to protect the Catalan language, "they don't do anything about it. It's us or nobody. We have to look after it. This is a treasure for us." "

The Telegraph/Sydney Herald: Catalonia's growing calls for independence add to Spain's worsening euro crisis woes by Harriet Alexander
"But what most angers people is that Catalonia is responsible for managing public services, but Madrid retains regulatory and tax-and-spend powers"

And here on News Catalonia, a translation of Vilaweb's reporting on First Post-September 11th Polls Confirm Pro-Independence Surge
"That same poll indicates that 83% of Catalans agree with holding a referendum on independence, and 55% would vote in favor."

Only peripherally about Catalonia, but interesting:

Guardian: Behind Spain's turmoil lies a cronyism that stifles the young and ambitious, by John Carlin

Live Trading News: Spain, EuroCrisis, Wall St and Investing by John Mauldin
"The situation is complicated by the fact that the Basque region of Spain has been given a great deal of autonomy in its budget. If Spain were to compromise and give Catalonia the same deal, it would cost the Spanish government a great deal of money and enlarge the already gaping hole in their budget."

The Independent: The Square Mile: A breakdown of trust is Rajoy's biggest headache, by Margareta Pagano
"An unspoken practice in Spain is that most workers get two salaries. One is the official salary, the taxable one, the other is cash in a brown envelope – the black market if you will. Many private-sector workers are paid in this two-tier manner."

Business Insider: Why they protest in Spain by Joe Weisenthal
"It's not the cuts, per se (though they don't help, when unemployment is already where it is), it's the feeling that people have no power over government, that the government favors elites, and that the country is losing sovereignty that drive people mad."

Catalonia News Roundup Sept 29, 2012

Here are a few articles from today. The Financial Times continues with excellent coverage.

Financial Times: Catalan with Spain's future in his hands, by David Gardner (free registration required)
"With an economy the size of Portugal’s, it has acquired the heaviest debt burden of any region. Catalan officials and economists say they would be solvent if they had a similar agreement to the Basques, who transfer up to ten times less per capita to the Spanish fiscal pot than they do. Catalonia, they say, hands over to Madrid about €18bn a year, or 9 per cent of economic output – an amount that exceeds the demands of equitable transfer to poorer regions, which many federal systems cap at around half that level."

The Wall Street Journal: Don't Underestimate Spanish Democracy
"So it smells like the 1930s all over again. Except it isn’t the 1930s all over again. So put away George Orwell, Ernest Hemingway and Laurie Lee."

Los Angeles Times: Latest threat to the Eurozone: Catalonia Independence Quest, by Carol J. Williams
"Catalonia secession is neither a sure thing nor an imminent one, analysts note. Catalans for centuries have been bandying about the idea of independence for their thriving bastion of manufacturing, shipping, tourism and culture."

Irish Examiner: The pain in Spain, by Richard Fitzpatrick
"Catalonia, the region in the north-east of Spain where the Sant Andreu graveyard deaths occurred, recently cut its disability support budget by 57%. Meanwhile, suicides in Catalonia increased by 10% in 2011 from the previous year admits the Catalan government, which reflects a nationwide trend. "

The National: Catalan independence "impossible to stop", by Eric Randolph
"But that began to change in September 2009 when the local council in a small town called Arenys de Munt tried to hold a referendum on independence that was blocked by the Spanish authorities." (Note that Randolph's claim that they voted Thursday to hold referendum on 25-N is mistaken.)

Time: Why Catalonia Isn't Likely to Leave Spain Anytime Soon, by Lisa Abend

Catalan News Roundup September 27

Updated 5:02pm ET

Keeping track of news about Catalonia is becoming a full time job! As always, check back later as I will be updating throughout the day.

Photograph of President Mas addressing Catalan Parliament by Lluís Brunet

The Guardian: Spain heads toward confrontation with Catalan Parliament
"Spain's deputy prime minister, Soraya Saenz de Santamaría, warned that the government would stop any attempt at a unilateral referendum, effectively challenging the Catalans to either desist or break the law and face the consequences."

Financial Times: Catalan teachers add voice to protests by Julius Purcell in Barcelona (free registration required)
"The risks, Mr Feriche argued, could even energise the Catalan economy: “Personally, I adore Spain. But independence might galvanise us. It could inject creative energy into the way we do business.”"

NASDAQ: Catalonian Parliament Approves Independence Referendum Plan
"Just as the Catalan parliament voted, Spanish deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria said the country's government is dead-set against such a referendum, and will use "every tool at its disposal" to stop the referendum from being held."

Washington Post/ABC News/Associated Press: Catalonia plans vote on self-determination but Spain warns it will use courts to stop it
"Catalonia’s regional parliament has voted to stage a referendum on self-determination with a view to possibly seceding from Spain but the national government has warned it will have it stopped by the country’s top court."

Reuters: Madrid and Catalonia clash over independence referendum
"The vote was held minutes after Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria told reporters the national government was prepared to prevent any referendum."

USA Today: As Spain sinks, many in Catalonia want out, by Meritxell Mir
"Financially speaking, Catalonia is perfect for Spain," said Osvald Calzada, 32, a copywriter from Lleida, in the western part of the region. "Catalonia is the cow they constantly milk, only giving her enough grass to survive."

Reuters: Spain's Catalonia forbidden to hold independence referendum: government

National Review Online (Opinion): Independence for Catalonia? and Catalonia, Again, both by Andrew Stuttaford
"Well, there’s nothing necessarily wrong with “nationalist sentiment.” If a majority of Catalans wish to go their own way, all power to them. "

"There’s nothing particularly unusual about one part of a country subsidizing another. The problem starts when those doing the subsidizing don’t believe that they are really part of the same nation as those who are receiving their largesse. Many Catalans clearly feel that they do not belong within a united Spain. "

Wall Street Journal: Madrid Struggles with Homage to Catalonia, by Richard Barley
"In an echo of the wider euro-zone crisis, Catalonia's case for greater control of its finances rests on the fact that it subsidizes the rest of Spain, paying more to the central government than it receives back. It accounts for 18.7% of Spanish GDP, the highest of any region, making it bigger economically than Ireland or Portugal."

Reuters (Opinion): Catalonia shows euro's weak links, by James Saft

Business Insider: Catalonia's push for independence spooked the markets, by Walter Kurtz
"What market participants are beginning to realize is that Catalonia’s independence could push Spain out of the Eurozone – no matter what the ECB does. The region’s economy is critical to Spain and the Spanish government desperately needs the tax revenue from Catalonia. The government’s budget target for 2012 looks untenable as is. Without Catalonia, the Spanish economy and Spanish government finances would simply collapse."

Bloomberg: Catalonia to Hold Election, Seizing Chance to Force Rajoy on Autonomy, by Ben Vickers
"The regional election will effectively be a referendum on the political future of Catalonia, and neatly sidesteps Madrid’s objection that referendums should cover all of the Spanish territory. "

Vilaweb (translated on this very site): US and German Diplomatic Personnel Attend Catalan Parliamentary Debate Original Catalan version

News Roundup September 26

Updated 7:32pm ET

Again, I will post news articles about Catalonia here throughout the day. Come back later for updates!

Eurosport: Barça a Catalyst for Catalonia's independent streak
"That's when most of the Camp Nou crowd started singing - for Catalan independence from Spain. I've watched over 200 Barca games at Camp Nou and have never witnessed anything like it."

The Telegraph: Spain is turning into the new Greece, and Mariano Rajoy has himself to blame


Christian Science Monitor: Amid Madrid protests, Catalonia bumps up elections in independence push
"Mas asked Spain's biggest political forces, all of which have rejected Catalonia's independence drive, to respect the region's aspirations if his party wins the regional elections. "I ask that you listen to the people. If the verdict of elections is clear, accept it.""

Financial Times (free registration required) Q&A: Catalonia’s sovereignty push
"Q. Could Catalonia make it as an independent state?
A. Yes, but it would not be plain sailing. Catalans have a highly developed sense of national identity. Even many second-generation Catalans – children of Spanish speakers who moved to Catalonia from other parts of Spain from the 1960s onwards – are attracted by the prospect of independence."

Business Insider: Everything You need to Know About The Catalan Secession Movement That's Throwing Spain Into A New Crisis
"And Catalans by and large do not like being a part of Spain. A recent Roubini Global Economics client briefing highlights just how bad sentiment there was last time a referendum on the issue was taken"

New York Times: In Spain, It's Not Just the Economy
"The government faces an even graver domestic challenge, however, from developments in Catalonia, where a growing separatist mood threatens Spain’s unity."

International Business Times: Spain Faces Investor Concern as Catalonia Election Fuels Voices for Independence
"Mas has vowed to offer the Catalan people a voice on independence "with or without" the authorisation of the Spanish government. "
""If Catalonia had a Basque tax regime, it would have Basque's finances, it says," Nixon wrote in a client note. "Instead of having to go cap-in-hand to Madrid for help with its debts and payroll - to be rescued, in effect, with what it regards as its own money"."

Recommended Reads 25 September 2012

Updated: 9:26pm ET

I will be updating this list throughout the day.

Scotsman: Catalonia President calls elections
"After making the announcement yesterday, he said he would not stand again “once Catalunya had decided on its ­national objectives”, adding: “Elections are almost always a time of confrontation between political parties, but the times we are living in demand a ­higher awareness of the necessities of the state and a large dose of self-sacrifice.”

San Francisco Chronicle: Rajoy Nemesis Opens Catalonia Front in Europe
"Rajoy says Mas’s proposal to keep more of its tax revenue would violate the constitution. The document, which dates back to Spain’s transition from dictatorship to democracy in 1978, can’t be changed, Rajoy says. The constitution was amended last year for the second time when the two biggest parties agreed to add a clause on budget discipline."

Bloomberg: Rajoy Defied as Catalan Head Seeking Autonomy Calls Vote
“The impressive demonstration on Sept. 11 and the refusal to negotiate the fiscal pact oblige me to be consistent with my ideas and commitments,” Mas said today. “This is the time to take a risk, above and beyond personal comfort or party interests.”

New York Times: Protesters Encircle Spanish Parliament (but article is mostly about Catalonia)
"“The voice of the street needs to be moved to the ballot boxes,” the president of Catalonia, Artur Mas, told lawmakers at the regional Parliament. “We want to have the same instruments that other nations have in order to develop their own collective identity.”"

Financial Times: Secession crisis heaps pain on Spain
“The hour has come to exercise our right to self rule,” said Artur Mas, Catalonia’s president. He called the vote, which is likely to be cast as a proxy referendum on Catalan independence, after Mr Rajoy last week rejected his demands for greater fiscal autonomy, triggering a wave of nationalist sentiment in the northern region."

AFP: Catalonia calls snap vote in Spain crisis
"The sharing of sacrifices between the state and the regions is very unfair," Mas said. "The result is that the biggest cuts have to be made in health and education, which are the main responsibilities of the regions."

CNBC: Catalonia: The Next Independent State in Europe?
"This week, the Catalan parliament is set to approve a resolution that would create a referendum on independence. Eighty-three of the 135 deputies in the regional parliament support independence."

Irish Times:
Spain's fiscal crisis exposes deep regional fault lines by Paddy Woodworth
"There are times when the PP seems the best ally of its worst enemies. "

Financial Times: Madrid faces regional funding backlash by Miles Johnson in Madrid
"Madrid faces a backlash from its own conservative supporters over attempts to calm separatist tensions in Catalonia, hampering efforts by Mariano Rajoy, the prime minister, to avoid a constitutional crisis."

Telegraph: Be Very Careful, Beloved Spain, by Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
"Be that as it may, what we have in Spain is a disturbing turn of events."

News about Catalonia 20 Sept 2012

It's pretty hard to keep up these days. One of the reason I started this blog was because English language and non-Catalan papers hardly ever wrote about Catalonia. Now, when you google Catalonia, there are literally thousands of articles. It's wonderful and amazing. Here are some highlights though googling Catalonia is a good method too. What's the difference between this list and what you might find on Google? This list is organized by date and is static, while Google will only ever show you the most recent results. Plus, I'm going to try to pull out the interesting quotes.

The Guardian: Spanish PM rejects Catalan calls for greater tax powers
"Polls show Catalans are furious that they contribute 8% more in tax revenues than their region receives back from central government."

Reuters: Catalonia says tax impasse opens door to early regional vote
"Speaking in Catalan live on television after a meeting with Rajoy, Mas said he was disappointed by the talks."

Christian Science Monitor: After Spain nixes new fiscal deal, Catalonia considers independence push
"Others, though, warn this is the real thing and that Spain’s territorial integrity is in danger."

Lluís Brunet: Photo report from Lluís Brunet on the crowd that assembled to receive Mas upon his return from the meeting with Rajoy.

The Telegraph: Spain risks break-up as Mariano Rajoy stirs Catalan fury
"Diplomats say Mr Rajoy’s Partido Popular has provoked the latest eruption of fury by exploiting the economic crisis to break the power of the regions. This came to a head over the summer when Catalonia was forced to request a €5bn rescue from Madrid, though it is a net contributor to the Spanish state."

The New York Times: Spain’s Prime Minister Fails to Reach Revenue Deal With Catalonia
“The demands from Catalonia have developed a lot faster than anybody expected,” said Jordi Alberich, director general of the Cercle d’Economia, a Barcelona business organization. “A difficult crisis situation for Mr. Rajoy has just now got a lot more complex.”

Chicago Tribune: In Spain, economic crisis fans Catalan separatism
"The upsurge in Catalan separatism is founded on a conviction that Madrid is draining the region financially."

Financial Times: No Progress in Catalonia-Madrid talks
"However, the impasse over the “fiscal pact” is creating momentum for a snap election in Catalonia that might be won by pro-independence forces and provoke a full-blown constitutional crisis in Spain."

AFP: Spain rejects Catalonia's bid for independence
"Catalonia feels it gets a raw deal from Madrid, providing much more to the central government than it receives at a time when it is making painful austerity cuts to health and education spending."

Euronews: Catalonia threatens early elections over tax dispute with Madrid
"The head of the regional government, Artur Mas, says a fairer tax system should be implemented as the region is contributing too much to Spain as a whole. The region claims that some EUR 16 billion a year of its taxes are used to fund central government and other parts of Spain."

BBC News: Spanish PM Rajoy rebuffs Catalonia over budget powers

Irish Times: Rajoy rejects Catalan call for greater autonomy
"The logistics of yesterday’s meeting highlighted the existing tensions, with Mr Mas giving his press conference afterwards in the Catalan regional government’s Madrid headquarters, rather than in the prime minister’s building as is customary. "

Bloomberg Business: One Europe: Many Tribes
(This article misses the point that Catalans tend to be very pro-Europe.)

The Economist: Catalonia: Europes next independent state?

Expatica: Spanish leader warns Catalonia over fiscal autonomy drive
"Fiercely proud of their distinct language and culture, Catalans increasingly feel they are getting a raw deal from Madrid."

And here on News Catalonia: Full Transcript of Catalan President Mas' Press Conference, after meeting with Spanish President Rajoy
"It did not go well."

BBC World at One: Radio Show starts at 39.99