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A new start for Catalonia after the swearing in of Salvador Illas as president

2024-08-10 18:23:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

A new start for Catalonia after the swearing in of Salvador Illas as president

The socialist politician, Salvador Illa, was sworn in on Saturday as the president of the regional government of Catalonia, in a ceremony held at the government palace in Barcelona.

"Taking the position today, I am inheriting the hopes of the people of Catalonia," said the 61-year-old, who made a name for himself as the Spanish Minister of Health during the coronavirus pandemic.

The inauguration ceremony was held just two days after Catalonia's separatist leader, Carles Puigdemont - for whom an arrest warrant has been issued - gave a speech in central Barcelona.

He then ran away, despite the large police presence.

On Friday, Puigdemont said on X - the platform formerly known as Twitter - that he has returned to Belgium, where he has lived since his initial escape in 2017.

In the run-up to the inauguration ceremony, Illa has been soft on his separatist predecessors.

"I have no doubt that all previous presidents have come to this office with the best intentions, to make Catalonia a better state," he said, including Puigdemont.

Although the Socialist Party of Illas won the elections in May, it must have the support of the party, the Republican Left of Catalonia, and the Comuns Alliance to govern.

On Thursday, 68 of the 135 members of the regional Parliament in Barcelona voted in favor of Illas.

Spanish media have hailed his victory as a new beginning for the region, which has been rocked by disputes over independence claims for nearly 10 years.

However, Illa is expected to find it difficult to calm the situation and reconcile Spain's policy with Catalonia's demand for independence.

Although an amnesty was announced for Catalan separatists, the decision did not apply to Puigdemont, who faces accusations of personal enrichment.

Illa called on the Spanish judiciary that the amnesty decision also applies to Puigdemont, "quickly and without any justification"./ Rel





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