Statement by the rectors of Catalonia's public universities

Statement regarding the imprisonment of several politicians and social leaders in which dialogue and a democratic solution to the current political conflict is demanded.

24/03/2018

The rectors of the Catalan Association of Public Universities (ACUP) wish to publicly declare our profound discomfort with the recent imprisonments of political leaders. We consider that there are alternatives in dealing with the political situation currently existing in Catalonia and that these imprisonments are not the solution.

We believe dialogue and negotiation should form the framework to solving the political problems affecting us today. In accordance with this conviction, we have repeatedly insisted on dialogue as the only way to approach these problems and restore the effective functioning of Catalonia's institutions.

The extraordinary situation in which we find ourselves forces everyone to act with the maximum of responsibility in order to favour a negotiated and democratic solution to the conflict.

Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, Tarragona, 24 March 2018