Rajoy ignores Catalonia’s claims in first speech after Diada rally
Acting Spanish President addresses plenary of the PP in Madrid’s parliament, focuses on vote of confidence
MadridThere was not one word from Mariano Rajoy, Spain’s caretaker president, about Sunday's mass demonstration in his first public appearance after Catalonia’s September 11 Diada. Speaking before the plenary session of the PP in Madrid’s Congress, Rajoy focused on detailing the causes leading to the current political stalemate in Spain, and made no reference to Catalonia during a 20-minute address that was open to the media.
The Moncloa palace remained silent during Sunday’s demonstration, but some expected Rajoy to refer to it today, more so after the offer of a negotiated referendum that Carles Puigdemont, President of the Generalitat, has already stated he will make. They were wrong. The acting head of the government made his usual review of political happenings in Spain since June 26, defended his right to govern, and slammed PSOE leader Pedro Sánchez, whom he blamed for the current stalemate in Spanish politics.
Furthermore, after the meeting Rajoy dodged reporters’ questions about the Diada. Party sources explained that the caretaker president "has already said what he had to say", in reference to the message that he posted on Twitter last Sunday, in which he wished for a "sensible Diada" and one "for all Catalans”.
The only reference to the independence movement came, precisely, when the acting president wanted to corner Sánchez to warn him not to strike a deal with pro-independence parties in Congress: "It would go against everything the PSOE’ stands for and against its voters", he stated, along the same lines as yesterday's comments by other leaders from his own party and also from Ciudadanos.
According to Rajoy, this is one of the three options available to Sánchez in order to challenge his presidency but, he said, it is as unfeasible as the alliance with Podemos and Ciudadanos that the Socialist leader is seeking. "They want to wait and see what happens in the Basque and Galician elections because they are putting party interests ahead of those of Spain", he accused.
Regarding those elections, Rajoy said that he hopes to win and to be able to govern in Galicia, while at the same time offering an alternative that would preserve unity in the Basque Country.
