Offer of dialogue vetoed
Torra proposes a meeting with Felip VI in Tarragona to open dialogue; Sánchez, despite affirming willingness in Spain’s parliament, vetoes meeting
The space for dialogue that President Quim Torra yesterday offered King Felip VI was closed in less than six hours. The Zarzuela palace referred the offer, sent by letter and written in Catalan, to the Moncloa which ruled out the bilateral meeting proposed yesterday between the monarch and the head of the Catalan executive but announcing a date for the long-awaited meeting between Sánchez and Torra.
The news broke in the morning when Torra announced during the first session of control in Parliament, that he, together with the former presidents Carles Puigdemont and Artur Mas, had addressed himself in a letter to Felip VI to take advantage of the monarch’s presence on Friday in Tarragona to discuss the Catalan conflict. Torra admitted that one of the aims of the meeting was to make the monarch aware of the consequences that his speech on October 3 had caused in an important part of Catalan society. Torra said earlier in Parliament that he hoped the Felip VI would become involved. “The King must speak,” he said, and not remain silent as he has done throughout the conflict.
In the afternoon the Zarzuela palace replied informing Torra that under Article 64.1 of the Constitution, the King had passed the the proposal to the Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez.
An hour later, the Prime Minister’s office said that a bilateral meeting between the monarch and President Torra was ruled out, even though they may meet at the opening of the Mediterranean Games on Friday in Tarragona. At the same time it was announced that Pedro Sánchez will meet with Torra on July 9 in Madrid at 11.30 am.