After five days of violence, the regional independence government of Catalonia on Saturday (October 19th) called on the Spanish government to hold "unconditional negotiations" to resolve the conflict in the region aggravated by the condemnation of independentist leaders.

"We urge the head of government (the Socialist Pedro Sanchez) to set today even a day and an hour to sit at a negotiating table without conditions (...) It is his responsibility and his obligation," he said. said regional president Quim Torra in a solemn address.

By demanding "unconditional" negotiations, Quim Torra wants the issue of a referendum on self-determination, which Madrid does not want to hear about, can be addressed. "We have been asking for this negotiation process for a political resolution of a political conflict for a long time and today it is more urgent than ever," he added.

182 injured, 83 arrested

In a statement, the Spanish government states that "it has always been open to dialogue in the context of respect for the law". And asks President Catalan to "strongly condemn violence, which he has not done so far".

Madrid also stressed that for the "dialogue to be effective", it is necessary that "Quim Torra recognize the other part of the Catalans who are not independentist and who claim him to rebuild the coexistence undermined by the independentism". According to a survey published in July by the regional government, 44% of Catalans are in favor of secession but 48.3% are against it.

The call of President Quim Torra comes after the fifth consecutive night of violence in Catalonia, during which 182 people were injured and 83 arrested in clashes between protesters and police. In Barcelona alone, more than 150 people were injured after hours of clashes in which police fired rubber bullets, tear gas and used a water cannon for the first time, in front of groups of rioters throwing stones and metal objects.

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Quim Torra called for "accountability at future protests" and stressed that "the defense of rights and freedoms must be expressed as always, peacefully". "Violence has never been our banner and will never be," he insisted, without explicitly condemning the violence of the previous day.

Water cannon and rubber balls

His number two, Pere Aragones, criticized the action of the National Police, demanding that it act "in a proportionate, consistent and timely manner".

The regional police on the Catalan government's orders, the Mossos d'Esquadra, have also been on the front lines in recent days, using rubber bullets and water cannon and provoking criticism of protesters against Torra, accused of stifle protests that he himself encourages in his speeches.

Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said Quim Torra's speech did not contain a "strong condemnation" of violence and called on Catalan leaders to choose the "path of democratic institutions."

With AFP