Catalan government ‘only legitimate rulers and does not accept dismissal’ by Madrid

Alfred Bosch, Barcelona City Council Republican leader, claimed half of the Catalan government was still in Barcelona and went to work as usual yesterday despite President Carles Puigdemont fleeing to Belgium.

Members of the Catalan government travelled to Belgium after threats of prosecution from Spain’s central government.

Madrid has accused the region’s executive of treason following its unilateral declaration of independence.

Catalonia’s President declared the region free of Spanish rule after a violent police crackdown on a referendum branded illegal by the central government.

Mr Bosch of the Republican pro-Independence Party spoke on Newsnight to defiantly reject Spain’s move.

He said: “Please remind the whole world that there is half of the government in Belgium and the other hand of the Catalan government that is here in Barcelona right now.

“We saw them this morning going to their offices doing businesses as usual.”

When presenter Emily Maitlis claimed there had just been one person seen entering the government building Mr Bosch said the Vice President had continued his day as usual.

He said: “No, I was with the Vice President the whole day. He is from my party.

“He went to his office. He went to the party executive. He went to Parliament.”

When asked what the Vice President was doing in light of the Catalan government being dissolved by Madrid under Article 155 Mr Bosch responded that he was not accepting his dismissal.

He said: “As a whole we are not accepting the repressive measures of the government.

“These people were elected. They were chosen by Parliament through these Catalan elections.

“For us those are the only legitimate rulers of Catalonia.”

Exiled Catalan President Mr Puigdemont and his party have confirmed they will fight the December 21 election called by Madrid.

Mr Bosch admitted that accepting the election could be viewed as a concession to Spain but also claimed Spanish leader Mariano Rajoy had been forced to change his position.

Prime Minister Rajoy previously said there would be no election in the near future and there would be six months to a year of direct rule by Spain, Mr Bosch claimed.

Spain had been seen as the victors yesterday after the regional government was seen to be in retreat in exile without any violence from the state.

Mr Bosch said: “Well for the first tie we must admit that the Spanish government instead of resorting to violence and repression have had the day i the sense that they can argue that the have a democratic solution or exit to the conflict.

“Although, of course, the Catalan government has been sacked. It was democratically elected government. Hundreds of people have are being sacked.

“Of Course, the memory of the referendum where people were brutalised by the police.

“Now I think they have found, probably because somebody pressed them, a democratic exit out of this conflict.”

The pro-Independence politician admitted the effects of Article 155 could be felt in the city with government employees turning up for work despite in theory being sacked.

He said: “It is a very tricky situation where reality does not quite fit in with the laws and order that Madrid is giving.”