Spain Begins Talks with Catalonian Secessionists

Acting Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy will hold his first official meeting with Catalonia's pro-independence regional president, Carles Puigdemont, with talks likely to center on the region's finances although the secession issue is certain to surface.

Puigdemont took office in January, promising to push ahead with his coalition government's secession plans. Rajoy, who heads Spain's caretaker government since a Dec. 30 inconclusive election, is likely to reiterate his steadfast opposition to Catalonia's independence in Wednesday's meeting.

The independence drive has gathered force in recent years after Catalonia failed to win more financing concessions from Madrid.

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Catalonian Separatists Form Government

Catalonia's separatists on Saturday struck a last-minute agreement to form a new regional government that will work towards independence from Spain, with controversial secessionist leader Artur Mas stepping aside to seal the deal.

His decision brings an end to more than three months of deadlock between Mas' "Together for Yes" secessionist alliance and the more radical, far-left separatist CUP party that together hold a majority in the Catalan parliament.

"This is not an easy decision, but it is a coherent decision," Mas told a press conference, saying he did what was necessary to save the independence drive in the wealthy northeast region of 7.5 million.

"I am stepping aside and will not be standing as a Together for Yes candidate for the re-election of president of the regional government," Mas said, naming Girona mayor Carles Puigdemont as his replacement.

Together for Yes won 62 seats in the 135-seat parliament in regional elections in September -- but were unable to form a government with the CUP, which held a crucial extra 10 seats, due to bitter disagreement over Mas.

The leftist party refused to give Mas its backing, resenting the austerity measures he implemented and corruption scandals linked to his party.

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The Paleoenvironments of the Catalan Pyrenees From the Middle Permian Through the Olenekian Triassic

Constraining the Permian/Triassic transition in continental environments: Stratigraphic and paleontological record from the Catalan Pyrenees (NE Iberian Peninsula)

Authors:

Mujal et al

Abstract:

The continental Permian-Triassic transition in southern Europe presents little paleontological evidence of the Permian mass extinction and the subsequent faunal recovery during the early stages of the Triassic. New stratigraphic, sedimentological and paleontological analyses from Middle-Upper Permian to Lower-Middle Triassic deposits of the Catalan Pyrenees (NE Iberian Peninsula) allow to better constrain the Permian-Triassic succession in the Western Tethys basins, and provide new (bio-) chronologic data. For the first time, a large vertebra attributed to a caseid synapsid from the ?Middle Permian is reported from the Iberian Peninsula - one of the few reported from western Europe. Osteological and ichnological records from the Triassic Buntsandstein facies reveal a great tetrapod ichnodiversity, dominated by small to medium archosauromorphs and lepidosauromorphs (Rhynchosauroides cf. schochardti, R. isp. 1 and 2, Prorotodactylus-Rotodactylus, an undetermined Morphotype A and to a lesser degree large archosaurians (chirotheriids), overall suggesting a late Early Triassic-early Middle Triassic age. This is in agreement with recent palynological analyses in the Buntsandstein basal beds that identify different lycopod spores and other bisaccate and taeniate pollen types of late Olenekian age (Early Triassic). The Permian caseid vertebra was found in a playa-lake setting with a low influence of fluvial water channels and related to the distal parts of alluvial fans. In contrast, the Triassic Buntsandstein facies correspond to complex alluvial fan systems, dominated by high-energy channels and crevasse splay deposits, hence a faunal and environmental turnover is observed. The Pyrenean biostratigraphical data show similarities with those of the nearby Western Tethys basins, and can be tentatively correlated with North African and European basins. The Triassic Pyrenean fossil remains might rank among the continental oldest records of the Western Tethys, providing new keys to decipher the Triassic faunal biogeography and recovery.

Leftists Blocked Independence Seeking Party From Forming Government in Catalonia

Efforts by the acting president of Spain's powerful northeastern Catalonia region to form a pro-independence regional government have been dealt another blow as the radical pro-secession CUP party reaffirmed its opposition to his candidacy.

Artur Mas heads the "Together for Yes" alliance that won 62 seats in the 135-seat regional parliament in September elections but, lacking a majority, he is seeking support from CUP, which has 10 seats.

CUP has voted against him twice and on Sunday its members decided to maintain the stance. They agreed to continue talks with Mas' alliance but called on it to present another candidate.

However, CUP leader Antonio Banos said Monday the party members' decision was not binding and that all options were still open.

The Catalan parliament has until Jan. 10 to form a government or call a new election. The pro-independence parties fear the independence drive would lose momentum if fresh regional elections were held.

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Catalonia Pressing Ahead With Secession

The acting president of Spain's powerful northeastern Catalonia region says he will press ahead with efforts to form a pro-independence government despite having failed to garner sufficient support in two parliamentary votes so far.

Speaking almost two months after regional elections, Artur Mas said Tuesday it would be easy to give up now but it would be "irresponsible."

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Were the Tidal Flats of Maastrichtian Cretaceous Catalonia a Safe Haven for Sauropods From Theropods?

Transitional environments of the lower Maastrichtian South-Pyrenean Basin (Catalonia, Spain): The Fumanya Member tidal flat

Authors:

Oms et al

Abstract:

Sedimentological, palaeontological and geochemical data provide detailed evidence of a marine-to-lagoon environmental succession around the Campanian-Maastrichtian boundary in the Ibero-Armorican domain. This regression is recorded by the succession of several environments of the south-central Pyrenees basin: open marine mixed shelf, marine restricted mixed shelf (both rudist-rich), tidal flat, lagoon and fluvial dominated. The tidal flat setting belongs to the Fumanya Member here described, which is the base of the Posa and Massana formations (Tremp Group). The Fumanya Member is 5 m thick, is built up of marly limestones and was an elongated tidal mudflat (100 km long, 25 km wide) developed in a foreland trough and was separated from the Atlantic Ocean by an island-barrier system. In the lagoon environment, marginal marine waters and continental fresh waters alternated as documented by geochemistry and fossil molluscs. The Fumanya Member is a dinosaur megatracksite, reporting the roaming activity only of sauropods in tidal flats, a likely secure area against predators. Feeding activity of these herbivores took place in the lagoonal-lacustrine environments of the Posa Formation above the Fumanya Member.

Northeast Catalonian Regional Parliament has Voted for Secession by 2017

The regional parliament of northeastern Catalonia has approved a plan to set up road map for independence from Spain by 2017, in defiance of the central government.

All 72 separatist lawmakers -- the majority in the northeastern region's parliament -- voted for a resolution aimed at creating an independent republic by 2017.

The proposal was tabled by pro-secession lawmakers from the "Together for Yes" alliance and the extreme left-wing Popular Unity Candidacy (CUP). The groups together obtained a parliamentary majority in regional elections in September.

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Catalonian Separatists win Majority in Election, but Lack Unequivocal Secession Mandate

Parties pushing for independence from Spain won a majority of seats in Catalonia's regional Parliament in a ballot Sunday, but failed to secure more than 50 percent of the popular vote in an election they had hoped would give them a clear, unequivocal mandate for secession.

With 90 percent of the votes counted, the "Together for Yes" group of secessionist parties had 63 seats in the 135-member parliament, meaning they would need to join forces with the radical Popular Unity Candidacy party — that secured 10 seats — to be able to push regional legislation through.

However, together they only won 47.6 percent of the popular vote, meaning opponents to independence were in a majority.

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The Uncertainties of the Catalonian Secession Success and Implications

BENIGNO ROMERO, a Catalan taxi driver, reached coyly into his pocket and produced a key-ring bearing the horizontal gold-and-red striped flag of Spain. “I respect everyone else’s opinion. But if we get independence our pensions will go and this will be like Venezuela,” he said. Mr Romero’s worries reflect an increasingly bitter debate in this wealthy corner of north-east Spain as it prepares for elections that could bring a unilateral declaration of independence within 18 months.

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The vote is tomorrow.  yikes.

Spain Planning on Stopping Catalonian Indepedence bid

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy says he's ready to halt any secession attempt for the northeastern Catalonia region if regional elections in September generate a majority of independence-minded lawmakers trying to push the issue forward.

Rajoy made the comments Tuesday as several Catalan parties prepare their lists of pro-secession candidates for the Sept. 27 election for the Catalan regional parliament.

The region's Convergence and the Republican Left parties see the election as a vote on independence and say they will unilaterally push for Catalonia to leave Spain if they obtain a majority of seats in the regional parliament.

Rajoy has said an independence declaration by Catalonia would be unconstitutional.

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Ever Escalating: Catalonia Will Declare Unilateral Independence if Spain Balks

Catalan separatists said they were ready to declare unilateral independence if Madrid attempted to block a separation process they hope to launch if successful in September's regional elections.

Spain's conservative national government fiercely opposes independence for the rich northeastern region of Catalonia, which wants to follow Scotland's example by voting on its political future.

An alliance of pro-separatist parties want the regional vote to serve as a de facto referendum by running on a joint ticket, campaigning on the single issue of independence.

"If in this process, the Spanish state, through its political or legal decisions, blocks the autonomous government of Catalonia or the Catalan parliament, we will move forward with a declaration of independence," said Raul Romeva, a former MEP and key figure in the coalition, which brings together the centre-right CDC party and left-wing ERC.

"(We are) going for broke. We are betting everything on this, no turning back," he said at the presentation of the "Junts pel si" (Together for yes) list of candidates at the Museo de Historia de Catalunya.

The aim would be for a negotiating process to be concluded in 18 months, with institutions such as a taxation office set up.

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The Economist on Catalona's Independence Setbacks and a Response

CATALONIA’S referendum on independence, planned for November 9th, will not now happen. Or might it, after all? On October 14th the Catalan president, Artur Mas, admitted that, with the referendum officially suspended by Spain’s constitutional court, it would have to be scrapped. But, he added, some other sort of public consultation will still happen on that day—and it will involve ballot boxes.

Mr Mas refused to provide details. He claimed that he did not want to give the Spanish prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, too many clues about his plans. Given the legal obstacles, even Mr Mas may not be sure how to proceed. Catalonia’s more radical and leftist separatists were angered by his decision to obey the court while calling for a watered-down, pseudo-referendum. They want an early election in this rich and populous region of north-east Spain. Mr Mas is trying to deflect the separatists’ claims of cowardice by ramping up the war of words. “The Spanish state is the adversary,” he declared.

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To The Editors Of The Economist

I am writing this missive addressed to you as I am outraged, nay scandalized, by the level of your reporting on the Catalan question. The source of my discontent are two recent pieces – both signed by one GT – the first of which appeared on the Charlemagne Blog (Getting to “sí”, 19 September 2014), while the second was published under the rubric The Economist Explains (Catalonia’s independence movement,14 October 2014.)

Of the two, I consider the second much more reproachable since it purports to be an informative document, and not a mere opinion piece. My issue with your journalist is not his opinion – to which any journalist is entitled – but that he attempts to pass off opinion as fact. My view is the that the level of journalism being demonstrated is not what you should be seeking in a publication with your high level of international prestige.

At the end of the day, of course, whether this is the case or not is an editorial decision on your part. I fully understand why the Economist originally took the decision to publish non-editorial unsigned articles, but in the modern age I think this be a double edged sword as it leads to confusion about what is an Op-ed and what isn’t. Personally I think the practice is now more trouble than it’s worth, but again that’s for you to decide.

In order to try and demonstrate my case I have gone to the rather tedious lengths of re-reading the two offending articles and identifying what I consider to be factual inaccuracies (see below).

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Despite Independence's Defeat in Scotland, Catalonia is Undetered

Despite Scotland's decision to reject independence, lawmakers in Spain's Catalonia region voted overwhelmingly Friday to give their leader the power to call a secession referendum that the central government in Madrid has denounced as illegal.

The prospect of an independent Scotland had captivated European separatists. Besides the Catalans, their ranks include pro-independence Basques in northern Spain; Corsicans who want to break away from France; Italians from several northern regions; and Flemish speakers in Belgium demanding more autonomy, independence or union with the Netherlands.

Catalonia's regional president, Artur Mas, supported a Yes vote in Scotland, but stressed Catalans simply wanted the same chance as the Scots. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has said he will block a planned Nov. 9 vote in the wealthy northeastern region of 7.5 million people.

"What happened in Scotland and the United Kingdom is not a setback for us because what we really want in Catalonia is to have the chance to vote, the same possibility," Mas said.

Later Friday, the Catalan parliament voted 106-28 to give him the power to call a referendum. Mas didn't say when he would sign the decree to set the vote date.

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Catalonia Threatens "Practically Impossible" to Stop Independence Referendum

Catalonia's president warned Wednesday it was "practically impossible" to stop the region voting on secession from Spain and looked to Scotland to smooth the way with its own independence referendum.

Artur Mas, who has defied Madrid by calling a vote on independence for the rich northeastern region on November 9, predicted Scotland would stay in the European Union even if it chooses independence and drew hope from that for his own cause.

"If the Catalan population wants to vote on its future, it's practically impossible to stop that forever," Mas told AFP in an interview on the eve of Catalonia's annual national day, the Diada.

The commemoration this year is more politically charged than ever, coming just a week before Scotland holds a referendum on independence from the rest of Britain, and less than two months before the date set for the Catalan vote.

Spain's national government fiercely opposes any move towards independence for Catalonia. It has branded the planned vote illegal and vowed to block it.

"I think it's absurd to pretend that could be so and I think the Spanish government will have to realise that," Mas said.

In contrast to Madrid's stance on Catalonia, the British government has agreed to let Scots vote in a referendum even though it is against Scotland breaking away from the United Kingdom.

Mas said Scotland's vote could smooth the way for Catalonia on its own drive for independence.

"If a nation such as Scotland can vote, why not Catalonia?" Mas said.

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Catalonia Pressing Ahead With Independence Vote

Catalan President Artur Mas said on Wednesday he would call a non-binding vote on the region's independence in November to let locals at least express an opinion after Madrid blocked a full referendum.

Spain's parliament this month overwhelmingly rejected the wealthy region's request to hold a plebiscite, arguing it was unconstitutional.

"The consultation will be called, and within a legal framework. The central government may try to annul it. But that doesn't depend on me," Mas told journalists in the region's capital Barcelona.

The northeastern region, which accounts for around a fifth of Spanish economic output and 16 percent of its population, has its own language and a long history of fighting for greater autonomy.

Calls for separation have become a headache for the central government as it fights massive unemployment and the scars of a long economic slump.

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Spain to Little Catalans: NO

Spanish lawmakers are set to vote Tuesday to shoot down Catalonia's quest for an independence referendum, setting the stage for a bitter sovereignty struggle.

The assembly debated a motion from the regional government of Catalonia, which has its own language and a long history of fighting for greater autonomy from Spain, asking for permission to hold the referendum on November 9, with a vote followed in the evening.

But the ruling conservative Popular Party along with the main opposition Socialists and the centrist Union for Progress and Democracy (UPyD), who together have 300 of the 350 seats in parliament, have already said they will vote against the petition.

"I defend that Catalonia should remain in Spain because I can't conceive of Spain without Catalonia nor of Catalonia outside of Spain and Europe," Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy told the assembly.

Rajoy repeated his argument that the vote would be illegal, since under Spain's constitution referendums on sovereignty must be held nationally and not regionally.

He has also warned that independence would be an economic disaster for both Spain and the northeastern region of Catalonia, one of the country's most productive but also most indebted regions.

"Together we all win and separate we all lose," the prime minister said.

Spain's Constitutional Court ruled last month that a region like Catalonia could not "unilaterally" call a referendum on its sovereignty.

But the Catalan government argues that a 2006 Catalan autonomy statute which was passed by Spain's parliament granted the region the power to hold referendums.

"There is a clear legal basis" for the plebiscite, said Catalan government spokesman Francesc Homs before the start of the debate in parliament.

It is unclear what Catalonia's next move could be if the referendum is refused.

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Spain's Constitutional Court to Little Catalans: No

Spain's Constitutional Court ruled Tuesday that a referendum planned by the Catalonia region on independence from the rest of the country was unconstitutional.

Judges ruled that under Spain's constitution a region "cannot unilaterally call a referendum on self-determination to decide on its integration in Spain", according to a written summary released by the court.

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