Spanish Prime Minister To Meet With Catalan Head On June 29

MADRID (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd June, 2021) Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and the head of the Catalan Generalitat, Pere Aragones, will meet in Madrid on June 29, the press service of the Cabinet of Ministers said on Wednesday.

In addition, Sanchez will hold talks with the Prime Minister of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Diaz Ayuso, on July 9.

"In both cases ... the Prime Minister will hold a dialogue with his interlocutors on the most important and urgent issues of their territories, considering these meetings a necessary exchange of views on the basic needs and aspirations of the inhabitants of Catalonia and Madrid," the Spanish government said.

On June 22, the Spanish government decided to pardon nine Catalan politicians sentenced for participating in the organization of the independence referendum that took place in 2017. The convicted got out of prison on Wednesday; however, they will still be deprived of the right to hold elected and state posts.

In addition, a probationary period has been established, so the pardon can be canceled if they commit any serious crime during this time.

The head of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Pere Aragones, said the Catalan authorities will seek an independence referendum, and it is necessary to negotiate with Madrid to agree on its holding.

Madrid Community Prime Minister Isabel Diaz Ayuso, a spokeswoman for the right-wing People's Party and a consistent critic of the center left government, was re-elected to the post following early elections in the region in May.

The Supreme Court in October 2019 sentenced 12 Catalan politicians in connection with their involvement in an illegal referendum. Nine people were found guilty of the mutiny and received sentences ranging from 9 to 13 years in prison. Three of them were found guilty of insubordination and sentenced to fines.