Government officially notifies President of the Regional Government of Catalonia to rectify prior to this coming Thursday

Moncloa Palace, Madrid

The Vice-President of the Government and Minister for the Presidency and the Territorial Administrations, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, reported on the response that the President of the Government, Mariano Rajoy, has already sent Carles Puigdemont, President of the Regional Government of Catalonia, following the latter's reply to the official demand from the government.

In this letter, explained the Vice-President of the Government, the President of the Government regrets that the President of the Regional Government of Catalonia "has decided not to reply to the official demand that the government drafted last Wednesday, "as to whether or not there has indeed been a declaration of independence.

Bring uncertainty to an end

In this regard, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría once again called for "clarity" from the President of the Regional Government of Catalonia because, in her opinion, "prolonging this situation of uncertainty and deliberate confusion only favours those who wish to wipe out civic harmony and impose a radical project that will end up impoverishing Catalonia".

The Vice-President of the Government recalled that the second deadline of the official demand expires at 10:00 am on Thursday morning. She added that the government "hopes" in these remaining hours that "Mr Puigdemont responds with the clarity that all our citizens demand and as required by the rule of law".

Conditions for dialogue

Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría strongly urged the President of the Regional Government of Catalonia to rectify the situation before this new deadline expires. "Mr Puigdemont has the opportunity to rectify, to be clear, to return to legality and to make his proposals in the forum for mediation in our country, which is the Lower House of Parliament".

As regards the dialogue called for from Catalonia, the Vice-President of the Government remarked that no-one is refusing this, but "dialogue must be held within the law, with maximum clarity and in the Lower House of Parliament, where the Spanish people as a whole are represented".

Recover constitutional and statutory legality

The Vice-President of the Government, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, also insisted that "Mr Puigdemont still has it in his power to initiate resolving the situation" and "avoid the following steps being taken".

Although the Vice-President of the Government opted not to announce anything regarding the measures under Article 155 of the Constitution, she did point out that its activation "is not to suspend self-governance" in Catalonia, but in order for this "to be exercised in accordance with the law, which is constitutional law, but at the same time statutory law".

Non official translation