Jordi Pujol on whether Catalonia will be independent: “We know that we will not be”

The former president of the Generalitat Jordi Pujol on Friday took it for granted that Catalonia will not be independent: “We know that we will not be, at least not now. In 10 or 15 years we cannot think any further.”

He said this at a tribute event, under the name 'Hay País', organised by the Association of Friends of Enric Prat de la Riba, ten years after his retirement from public life following his confession that he had money hidden in Andorra.

According to Pujol, at the age of 19 he told his friend Pere Figuera, who was very pro-independence, that it would not be possible: “Now we can say something more because it has been seen in recent years that this independence thing is very difficult.”

“Prat de la Riba also knew that we would not be independent”, added the former Catalan president, who then advocated for achieving a Catalonia that was sufficiently consistent and with enough autonomy to move forward.

This, he explained, must lead to the possibility of Catalonia being able to maintain its identity and the ability "to create a country that is alive" from an economic, social and collective coexistence point of view.

After warning that Spain is a very powerful country, he believes that Catalans should aspire to save themselves through “negotiation” with the State and protect their language, culture, education, civil service and other aspects.

IMMIGRATION

Regarding immigration, he warned of the risks that this may pose due to the low birth rate in Catalonia, but he asked not to have a "hostile or rejecting attitude" towards these people.

"We have to demand proper treatment for them. They have to be helped," Pujol said, making it clear that the help must be reflected in the policies that are implemented.

CDC

The founder of CDC has also defended and claimed what the party represented and the work they carried out “at the Catalan and Spanish level”.

“We went and made a positive policy also thinking about Spain. Prat de la Riba also had this. He was a nationalist, Catalonia came first, but Spain must do well. All of this has been somewhat damaged, also in Spain," he said.

Despite regretting that Convergència no longer exists, he has argued that it would have been worthwhile to maintain the party despite the "trauma" his confession entailed, for which he feels partly responsible and for which he is willing to accept responsibility.

“But this could be saved. Then everyone was overwhelmed, and I understand that. I'm leaving, you reject me, but you have to continue” to maintain what CDC represented, he asked those present.

Although he admits that it will no longer be the Convergència that he founded, he does believe that the spirit and mentality of the extinct party can be recovered, in an implicit message to Junts, which is headed by the former president of the Generalitat, Carles Puigdemont.

"But this is not up to me, it is up to you. Even if we are a little affected, we have to continue. I have a name that can cause harm. I can give talks and say this or that, but the rest is up to you," he concluded.