On the demonstration in BCN and catalan public TV

The demonstration we saw yesterday had a double virtue. On the one hand, it consolidated the one on February the 18^th 2006. It could have remained like the great referent, the last time that the Catalan people went out to the street before the slow and irreversible integration into the homogenic kingdom of Spain; in a similar way, before February the 18^th we had one single and mythical referent as for demonstrations: those on the 1st and the 8th February 1976. However, it will not be like this. The recent history of our country, the time that starts with the end of Pujol's era, has already seen two demonstrations of a quite remarkable secessionist tone in less than two years. And nobody can erase this fact any more. Nobody with a minimal common sense can minimizes this any more. Nobody can if they are to be honest and show pride.

It seems, however, that once again there has been the attempt to minimize it. I ask myself which is the journalistic criterion when deciding what is worth a live TV report. I ask because I am astonished that the multitude of people yesterday overflowed Barcelona have not been reason enough for such a live TV report by the public television of the country where this happens. I hope that the criterion when deciding it is a purely journalistic, professional one, so it surprises me that 700.000 people in the street are not a strongly enough crowd. Is there a determinate number from which the report should be made? Or maybe other criteria which are not strictly professional have been imposed? Only a brief report to the Evening Newscast distinguishes this country from the regims in which the inconvenient demonstrations are systematically silenced. From a public television paid by all 700.000 that yesterday demostrated, I believe that a different coverage could be expected. Now it will be necessary to wait for explanations.

I said, however, that the demonstration has had a second virtue apart from consolidating the one on February the 18^th 2006: it opens a new horizon towards a third demonstration not to be dated yet. Among other political facts we have in a short period of time, there are the elections on March the 9th. Depending on the result that comes out of them, an agreement could aproach PSOE and PP to use the law in their own benefit and to cut the representativeness of the political forces that want to transform the State or, directly, to leave it. Bono seems to be the one they are thinking of as Congress chairmain, so predictions can not be very good. Still there is much to talk about it, however. The other important fact is the sentence pending on the Constitutional Court. The possibility of this sentence being restrictive, combined with the remembrance of this demonstration, leads us irreversibly into a third demonstration for the right to decide. And this time it will be the last, because this time, if the Spanish State says no, there is not more possible decision than the referendum of self-determination.

The desertion made by PSC and president Montilla leaves him in a more than delicate position. The coincidence yesterday of ERC CiU and ICV (all of them pro-selfdetermination) preconfigures an alternative majority to catalan socialism, more powerful than ever, but also far from the people as they never were. After yesterday's demonstration, it is not so evident that the legislature can come to an end. The socialist left is disposed to sacrificing the welfare and the progress of the country not to put the PSOE in risk. And this is reason enogh not to vote for them. But the alternative has to be a determined selfdeterministic forehead, disposed to playing under own rules. 700.000 people on the street are a basis more that solid to lead a process of secession. A 52,7% of citizenship that wants a state (be it federated or independent), too. Catalan people has marked the path. Now it is a matter of taking the reins of the country and plotting the sheet of route. In 2008, and once the elections have passed, the CiU and the ERC will have their congresses. The country will then be prepared to plan the final step.