Salvador Illa respects the Sijena ruling and leaves its execution in the hands of the MNAC

BarcelonaThe President of the Generalitat (Catalan Government), Salvador Illa, has asserted that he respects the Supreme Court ruling ordering the National Museum of Catalonia (MNAC) to return the Sijena paintings to Aragon. Speaking from Kobe, where he is on an official trip to Japan, as reported by the Catalan News Agency, Illa said he does not want to "obstruct" the ruling's implementation. "The framework of the ruling is what it is," said the President, who added that now we must "look forward" because "there is a ruling and that's how it is."

Regarding the transfer of the paintings, Illa expressed his "concern" that they could be put at risk and stressed that the Catalan government would like them not to be damaged. Therefore, he asked people to "not take risks" and avoid "irreparable damage." The president also stated that it is not the government that "sets the pace," but rather the MNAC, and that it is also the museum that must decide "how and under what terms" the ruling is executed or what is alleged in the enforcement proceedings, taking into account the fragile state of the mural paintings.

According to the president, what is needed now is to hold "a technical debate" on the risks that may be run with the transfer. The president noted that "some experts are highly concerned" while "others are not," and said that the matter will now have to be analyzed. This Thursday, Illa will call the director of the MNAC, Pepe Serra, to discuss all these issues. He will also speak with the Minister of Culture, Sònia Hernández. Asked whether he intends to discuss this with the President of Aragon, Jorge Azcón, he simply stated that in Aragon they already know his opinion and that he can "imagine" what the Aragonese president thinks.

The mayor of Sijena says the monastery "is ready"

The mayor of Vilanova de Sijena, José Jaime Castellón Bonet, stated in a statement to 324 that the paintings will be installed in the monastery. "For years, the government of Aragon has been investing in renovating the chapter house with the goal of reintegrating the paintings. We have air-conditioned it; it is in good condition for their return. It is ready," said Castellón, who added that the museum is already open to the public and "the reception from visitors is very good." Castellón also hopes that the ruling will be "a turning point" in the relationship between Aragon and Catalonia. "Let's look to the future. Sijena belongs to the history of Catalonia and also of Aragon. Now is the time to recover Sijena and show it," the mayor stated.

The Supreme Court confirmed the sentence on Wednesday ordering the MNAC to return the mural paintings in the monastery's chapter house to Vilanova de Sijena (Huesca). The judges consider that the MNAC has never been the owner of the paintings, but merely held them in storage, and therefore the case has not expired. The MNAC had warned that removing the mural paintings from their current location and moving them to the original monastery could seriously damage them.