In an interview with FRANCE 24, Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell discussed the ongoing crisis in Catalonia, where violence erupted last month after the Spanish Supreme Court jailed several Catalan separatist leaders for their role in a failed 2017 independence bid. Borrell spoke ahead of a snap election in Spain on November 10.
Spain's foreign minister told FRANCE 24 it's up to Catalan President Quim Torra to start a dialogue with Catalans who don’t want independence. "Catalan society is strongly divided… Torra should recognise that he doesn't represent the whole Catalan people," Borrell said.
"This (Spanish) government has been deploying extraordinary goodwill (towards the Catalan separatists)… but we're told: 'either you recognise our right to hold a referendum on secession, or there's nothing to talk about,'" the Spanish foreign minister added.
Borrell, a veteran of Spanish and EU politics, has been designated as the EU's next High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. He set out his priorities for the Balkans and Ukraine.
Programme produced by Narimène Laouadi and Morgane Minair.
