Dolors Feliu (Roda de Ter, 1964) replaced Elisenda Paluzie at the head of the Catalan National Assembly (ANC) in May. The entity is finalizing the preparations for the usual September 11 demonstration that the president hopes will be a new awakening of the pro-independence pulse in the State. In his opinion, it is the street that must drive the political class, despite the climate of disunity that currently prevails between ERC, Junts and the CUP.
What is the purpose of the demonstration organized by the Assemblea for the Diada?
Let the people take to the streets to make independence. That he go out and say that he wants it, and that the parties receive the message that if they don't do it, the people will. We will not stand idly by.
It is surprising that neither on the presentation website of the mobilization nor in the manifesto there is no appeal to the unity between institutions, parties and the street.
Sometimes it has been seen that what has been understood as unity is a lowering of approaches that has not led us to independence. They have understood unity as a lowest common denominator that abandons a project for independence, either because it is too difficult, or because they see it as far away, because it is said that it has already been tried. What is sought here is to make a project for independence and anyone who wants to join. But an approach of "let's all go together but since we believe that independence is not convenient now, we do not do it", is a thought that the ANC has abandoned.
Is it a demonstration against politicians?
No. It's about making independence and telling them that if they don't comply with it, we'll do it the same with different means, always democratic and peaceful.
But on the web and in the manifesto there are expressions like "we have finished expecting something from the games" or "let's leave the games behind". Is it a full stop?
No. "Let's leave the parties behind" if they don't achieve independence. We will not be slaves to their policies. The idea is that until now the so-called independence parties have had a vote to make independence. But five years have passed since 1-O and it can be seen that there really isn't a project. We will not cast this vote just for them to say that they are independentists, if later they do not have a project. There are still days for the elections, there is still time. Let the batteries be put because this vote is not indefinite or free. We are not against the institutions, but there are more and more pro-independence supporters who do not know what to vote for because they do not see any project. This is the reason for saying: "we will not wait for you to decide, there will be a new fire if you do not do it". The games are nothing without the people.
“So-called independence parties”, you have said. The manifesto reads "self-appointed independence parties", an expression that goes a little further. Are there no pro-independence parties anymore?
That is what we will see, because sometimes it does not seem so.
Why?
Many times the independence movement remains in words. Speeches are made but there is no project. Why is it committed to a false dialogue with the Spanish State, which has already said that it does not intend to allow any referendum in Catalonia? It does not allow talk of self-determination or amnesty. What's more, it has been forbidden in Parliament to talk about self-determination and referendum. The last Tables of the Parliament have been prosecuted and disqualified for having allowed it. And for criticizing the King! We are not on the right track. This dialog is totally blocked. We need a project that puts wanting independence at the center. No negotiations to dejudicialize… Just the day after saying that we wanted to dejudicialize, the case of the [electoral] Síndics of 1-O was reopened. The Catalangate espionage and the whole Pegasus issue are not being investigated...
With everything you have said so far, do you understand that there may be politicians who do not go to the demonstration or who feel uncomfortable going to the Diada mobilization organized by the ANC?
It has to make politicians who feel uncomfortable going to a demonstration that is expected to be massive and that has been the spearhead of the independence movement think hard. If they feel uncomfortable with the people of their country, let them look in the mirror and think about what they are doing. Have them review their policies. If they feel uncomfortable with these claims of independence that they carried in the program, see if it has to be revised or if they continue to be involved with this discourse and with this goal. It is a mirror in front of you. A politician who doesn't want to go to a place where he knows there will be hundreds of thousands of people has a problem.
Would you consider it serious, then, that it was not Aragonese?
I would consider that he is not involved in the project for independence, that he does not share it with a good part of the population that will take to the streets that day.
The ANC organizes the great demonstration of the Eleventh of September and the Council for the Republic that of the fifth anniversary of the 1st of October. Is there competition?
No. Both are times when people have the opportunity to go out into the streets to express their desire for independence. They are two great opportunities, which also have the virtue of being separated by twenty days and, therefore, give us the opportunity to make what we call an independence sandwich. That is to say: let's organize the Onze de Setembre, we are many, let's see the reaction that there will be in the general policy debate [in Parliament from September 27 to 30] and then on October 1. It is a magnificent opportunity to see how politicians, the ruling class and the institutions react to the clamor.
Do you see a favorable climate right now for there to be a great mobilization, like the ones that took place until 2017?
The comparisons are hateful. We have to value each moment in relation to the current situation. It is true that we are now rising. We had hit rock bottom after a few years of the pandemic and great repression by the Spanish state. People will assess whether or not they want to go out on the street. Perhaps there will be people who prefer to make a tweet... But the big cry that will be heard in Catalonia, in Spain and the World will be that of everyone together, that of all citizens at the same time.
You ask for a proactive independence movement, but you have always been reactive, as when you reacted to the lamination of the Statute by the TC. This is new.
There is one thing that we have not reacted to: 1-O. We have reacted by complaining, supporting the prisoners, with yellow dinners, with demonstrations... but we have not reacted with another attack. The reaction of 9-N was 1-O and after that we haven't done any more. We have been licking our wounds, but we have not reacted. And this proactive reaction must be to rise up to stop the repression and finish what we did not finish, which is independence.
Are you betting on a new referendum?
For us, the referendum already happened on 1-O. But it is true that we cannot have independence without institutions. That is why we are complaining about the institutions, which belong to the people. The next time there is an election, if they have not shown that they want independence, there will be other options to achieve it.
Plebiscitary elections?
Yes Yes. In Scotland Nicola Sturgeon has proposed plebiscitary elections if the British Supreme Court denies another independence referendum. It is an option that is on the table in democratic countries.
ERC and the CUP recognized that 1-O lacked legitimacy.
I believe that 1-O has all the legitimacy and it is our Salt March. It is where we recognized ourselves as a people, where we saw the strength we had and what we were capable of, but we did not culminate, as happened with the March. Instead, everyone thinks of India's Salt March as a key point in gaining independence. But we also have to be realistic: 1-O is necessary, but we need the Government and the Parliament to get to work.
Are they in favor of "lifting" the DUI?
Yes. Obviously. But it has to be done democratically.
So the results from five years ago are valid?
With these results we understand that it is feasible. And with 52% of the pro-independence vote in the last elections. But let's not forget that it seems that at the moment the pro-independence forces do not have enough courage and they do not see it clearly. If so, let them make other elections to reaffirm this desire for independence.
He has questioned whether there are pro-independence parties and now he speaks of 52%.
It is that they presented themselves as independentistas. Doubts have arisen after a year and a bit of making policies and we see that they are not moving forward.
Aragonès announced that in the general policy debate he would make a broad proposal that goes beyond independence. Do you know what proposal it will be?
I hope it is not a reform of the Statute. Because this road is totally closed after 2006 and the sentence of the TC. Any step towards self-determination has to include access to democratic independence in Catalonia.
Have you met with the president of the Generalitat lately?
No.
And ever?
We have had contacts with ERC, but we have not met.
Don't you find it strange?
I would have to ask him.
Why?
He is the president of the country.
You are the new one.
(Laughs). I am the newcomer, but we lead an organization with a certain ideology: we do not agree with the policies that are being made. We address the people, not directly the politicians. But we have contacts whenever they ask us.
Has he seen Borràs?
No. We have also had encounters. Not purely formal meetings, but we have met people from Junts.
For the Onze de Setembre on this occasion there will be no performance.
We have a color on the shirt that had not been seen until now: black, vindictive in the sense that we want to take a very determined and serious step to make an attack towards independence.
Does the ANC set a date for independence?
At the latest in the next parliamentary elections.
When do you expect them?
By 2025.
In other words, he believes that Aragonès will last the entire legislature.
It may be much sooner, hopefully.
