Jaume Duch: "It is easier to obtain official status for Catalan if you do not politicize the language"

BarcelonaThe Minister for the European Union and External Action, Jaume Duch (Barcelona, ​​​​1962), visits the ARA a few days before travelling to Brussels with the President of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, and six months after the inauguration of the socialist executive.

Why is it taking so long to make Catalan official?

— It's not that it's costing us, it's a long process. We're talking about a decision that must be taken unanimously by the 27 governments. It's a job that requires work and conviction. We are very clear that it is a priority.

How long should this process take?

— The Hungarian presidency has been a difficult semester for the European Union in general, as it is a government that is refractory to European issues and even aligned with Russia on some issues. Now, with a more constructive presidency, we should try to move faster. But I do not want to set deadlines.

Is it easier for the language to become official now that the Process has ended?

— In general, it is easier if you do not politicize it. That is, if you explain that what you are asking for is the recognition of a linguistic right. You should not link this to your vision of the country.

Can the official status of Catalan help combat the decline in its use shown by the indicators?

— Yes, it helps. The moment the language is considered official, it automatically enters a series of online programs and tools. which facilitate their learning in other countries and which link them to more cultural activities, and sometimes also to economic projects.

Is it long before we see a member of the Government meeting with Carles Puigdemont?

— I don't know. The president of the Generalitat has already said that this will happen when it is time.

Would that be good news?

— It depends on the circumstances, but if this were because there had been an amnesty and Mr Puigdemont had been able to return here, it would indeed be good news.

As head of Catalan diplomacy, are you working in any way to implement the amnesty and end the exile?

— This is an issue that is not in our hands. If it were, it would probably already be resolved.

The investiture agreement with ERC makes it clear that they will expand their delegations abroad. Where should they go?

— The agreement says that they must first be consolidated and then expanded. We are now in the consolidation phase. We are providing the delegations with the necessary resources and framework so that they can carry out their work and this will produce a benefit for Catalonia as a country from an institutional point of view, but also from an economic, cultural or language defence point of view. It is an analysis of what works, what doesn't, where the work is being done more easily and where it is more complicated. We will then see what this means in terms of the development of these delegations.

How long do you estimate this evaluation work will take?

— I think we still have a couple or three good months left.

Can we open new delegations this term?

— It could be, yes.

If we had to bet where, where would it be?

— I am interested to see where the world is going, because I have the feeling that it will be more open and multipolar.

For example?

— This is a theoretical example: China has become a very important country. And perhaps there are countries that were important a long time ago but are now less so. We will see.

You said that the delegations abroad would act as your advisors, loyal to the State. What does this mean?

— Loyal to the Statute, loyal to the Constitution and loyal to the Treaty of the European Union.

What does it mean? 

— You have to do things right, because that's when you can open doors, and we've seen that in recent months. If you say what you can and cannot do, it's easier to negotiate and reach agreements. The Statute gives you competence in matters of foreign action and, with that, you can go very far.

But does this mean that there was no such loyalty before?

— There have been times when yes, there have been times when no. I honestly don't care about everything that happened. I care about what's happening now and what will have to happen.

But what is being done that wasn't done before? Give me an example.

— Coordinate with the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs when you consider that this coordination helps you to go further.

He has replaced the delegates from the United States and Canada and South-Eastern Europe. Why?

— It was a question of rhythm. They had been around for many years and logically, from time to time, there had to be some renewal.

Is Donald Trump a threat to Catalonia?

— The US president is beginning to have certain imperialist tendencies. I cannot say whether he is a threat to us or not, but it is very important that the relationship between the United States and the European Union remains an intense, positive, friendly and cooperative relationship.

But do you see this relationship in danger?

— Depending on the measures taken in the coming months, yes. Not the relationship as such, but the quality of the relationship. If Trump ends up setting a tariff policy to complicate trade relations between the United States and the European Union, this will obviously complicate things.

Trump and Putin begin peace talks on Ukraine without Ukraine and without the EU. Where does the Union stand at a time like this?

— There are several important things. There must be a peace agreement and it must be fair. Fair means that it must be a peace agreement that can be accepted by the Ukrainians and that respects the integrity of the territory of Ukraine and its autonomy to decide its own future, for example, in terms of international alliances. This agreement must be reached on the basis of a negotiation in which the Ukrainian government must participate. And, of course, there must be the European Union. It is the one that has given the most support to Ukraine during these three years and it will be the guarantor of this agreement directly or indirectly, because it will also contribute, more than anyone else, to the reconstruction of Ukraine.

Between the United States and China, is Europe falling behind?

— The United States is taking a path that was not foreseeable just a few years ago. China has become a very important power. International relations are more complicated now than they were before and the European Union must be strengthened. And it must have strategic autonomy. It must avoid being too dependent on certain countries for certain things. First, its own security. Now we see that for many years it has delegated this to the Americans. It is not a theoretical security: there is a war on the border of the European Union in a country that is clearly imperialist in this case.

What is the government's position on what is happening in Gaza and the West Bank?

— This position is in line with the positions of almost the entire Western international community. A just peace is also needed and can only be achieved on the basis of the coexistence of two states, Israel and Palestine.

Do you think Israel practices apartheid?

— I think that Israel, at various times over the last two years, has entered into territory that is not covered by international law.

There are many organizations that talk about genocide. Do you agree?

— I know that the International Criminal Court is studying this and that what we are seeing is that there are elements that clearly lead us to believe that there is a genocide.

Do you believe that Catalonia should not have a delegation in Israel?

— There was an agreement from a previous government to open a delegation in Israel. This delegation was not opened and, when we arrived, the issue was not on the table because we arrived in the middle of the conflict in the Middle East. At this particular moment, considering whether or not we should open a delegation in Israel is not, I think, the priority, nor the most appropriate time to discuss it. We will see.

And in Palestine?

At some point, and I insist that we will see, at some point we will have to consider how this region is covered. And here I would not speak of a specific country, but rather of the region.