The new Catalan government led by Quim Torra has officially assumed its powers, thus ending Madrid's direct rule over the autonomous Spanish region.
Catalan leader Quim Torra suggested holding talks between the Catalan and Spanish governments to the newly elected Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Saturday.
"Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez! Let's talk and discuss. We have to sit at the negotiations table, we will take a risk and hold talks as a government with a government," Torra said.
The Generalitat's first session will be held on Saturday. Its 13 members have all been sworn in by Torra and promised to perform their duties in accordance with the law.
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In late May, Madrid refused to recognize a cabinet proposed by Torra, which included exiled and imprisoned Catalan politicians. Torra said the actions of the Spanish government broke the law and violated his political rights.
Nevertheless, the Spanish government approved Torra's second Cabinet list. On Friday, a decree on new regional government appointments was published in the Official Gazette of the Government of Catalonia.
On October 1, Catalonia held an independence referendum, which was not recognized by the central authorities. The results showed that the majority of Catalans supported secession, and the regional parliament unilaterally announced independence later in October. In response, Madrid imposed direct rule over the autonomous region, dissolved the Catalan parliament and called a snap election. Several pro-independence leaders were jailed, while others fled the country.
