Antoni Bassas' analysis: 'A pact of enthusiasm and confidence'
As Carme Junyent said: we have the opportunity to incorporate more speakers into the language than ever before. Those who don't want to know anything are a minority with whom nothing can be done (at least until it becomes mandatory, as Spanish is). But with the vast majority, we must believe there's a game in town.
Today The National Pact for Language is signed, with the PSC, Izquierda, Comunes, the Platform for Language, Òmnium, Fomento, Pimec, CCOO and UGT, among others.
The Pact provides 255 million euros, 100 million of which will strengthen Catalan in schools and secondary schools, 78 million to boost reception classrooms, and 73 million for audiovisual media and to promote reading in Catalan.
Junts, CUP and USTEC did not sign it for various reasons. President Puigdemont counted two yesterday in Waterloo, at a meeting with members of his party.
"We've asked to reach a consensus once we know some elements that are critical and decisive for defining what language policy we should follow. One is the Constitutional Court's ruling on the 25%. Is it the same to pursue language policy if we have a ruling in favor or against it? We're waiting, because the ruling won't be long in coming, and it's decisive. If it's a national pact, we all need to be involved, especially the main opposition party."
No, having a ruling against the Constitutional Court is not the same as not having one, but the work to ensure the financial endowment of the plan must be done just the same.
And if this ruling isn't issued, it will be yet another attack, contrary, by the way, to the very spirit of the Constitution, which specifies that languages like Catalan will be subject to "special protection." Well, still good luck, as the VAR referee would say.
Aware that denying Junts' signature on a pact like this is delicate, the president-in-exile returned this morning.
"We haven't signed the National Language Pact. For now. Not because it's not important, but because essential elements are missing."
There's an essential element missing: a contagious enthusiasm for the language, that hope of prosperity and freedom that Catalan represented during the years of the Transition. In this regard, I invite you to read the article written today by Sebastià Alzamora, where it says:
"If we make a big deal out of it and explain to those arriving from outside that Catalan is practically a dead language (which, moreover, is false), while others joyfully explain that Spanish is a marvel, it's obvious that they will do without a dying language."
This is the great pact for the language that we're missing: to go out, to go out and win, to have fun with the language, to always speak it, to focus on the progress and not just the obstacles, which will always exist because life isn't perfect. As Carme Junyent said: we have the opportunity to incorporate more speakers into the language than ever before. Those who don't want to know anything are a minority with whom nothing can be done (at least until it becomes mandatory, as Spanish is). But with the vast majority, we must believe there's a game in town. Of course there is.
Good morning.
