Presides an act of recognition for the prisoners of the Franco dictatorship
The President of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, has called on citizens and political leaders to act against the «least risk» of violation of democratic rights in Catalonia, with the aim of not taking for granted everything that has been achieved so far and defending a regime of democratic freedom as current.
This was stated at the event recognizing the prisoners of Franco that took place this Monday at the Palau de la Generalitat, accompanied by the Minister of Justice and Democratic Quality, Ramon Espadaler, and the President of the Catalan Association of Former Political Prisoners, Carles Vallejo.
Illa and Espadaler handed out four diplomas to family members and one of the victims of the Franco dictatorship, who were in prison for defending and demanding democracy.
Trivializing
The president has recognized the «valor and courage» that these people had risked, even their lives, according to him, to defend rights and freedoms, and therefore, he stated that it is important to celebrate events like this Monday.
«Let’s remember some facts of deprivation of liberty and violation of rights that caused pain to many people,» said Illa, who asked to be vigilant and not trivialize that these rights have been reached, which he believes must continue to be demanded.
Therefore, he recalled that the Parliament of Catalonia is promoting a reform of the democratic memory law and has planned that it can be approved by 2025 with the maximum possible consensus.
Espadaler
In his speech, Espadaler regretted that among the younger generations, especially men between 18 and 25 years old – 16%, would see a non-democratic regime acceptable to solve problems: «We cannot afford as a society.»
In this sense, he considered it important for citizens to know the reality of people who have been in prison and remembered that the «price to pay» for achieving democracy cannot be won in a context where the far right is present in Catalan, Spanish, and European institutions.
Vallejo
For his part, Vallejo recalled that the end of the dictatorship would not have been possible without the «brave commitment» of the working class, the Catalan citizenry, and student and political activists.
Finally, he proposed to the President of the Generalitat a national pact for democratic memory, as the latest generations of anti-Franco activists want to give «living testimony» of what the dictatorship was, according to his words.