The president of the Parliament of Catalonia, Josep Rull (Junts), is scheduled to receive this Thursday in the Catalan Chamber the former Minister of Culture of the Generalitat and current deputy of Junts, Lluís Puig, and offer him a formal welcome along with a speaking turn during the plenary session.
In an interview on Rac1 reported by Europa Press, he specified that Puig will arrive at 3 PM at the Parliament, where he himself will wait for him at the entrance, and indicated that he has already informed the president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, about this reception.
"Today I will be able to hug him in Terrassa. Afterwards, the Board will hold a reception for him and at 3:30 PM the plenary will start and I will make a small welcome speech and give him the floor," detailed the president of the Chamber.
Rull has recalled that, by parliamentary tradition, when a deputy returns after a prolonged absence or says goodbye, no specific time for intervention is set: "It is an act of deference and, in this case, it has a point of historical significance."
He also emphasized that it will be Puig himself who decides whether he wants to speak from his seat or from the podium, as well as the manner in which the yellow ribbon that remains on his seat will be removed, a gesture he described as a moment of "great solemnity."
"Removing this ribbon is not a trivial matter. I am convinced that we will find the appropriate liturgy to erase this infamy to which Lluís Puig and Carles Puigdemont have been subjected in the Parliament," Rull added.
Return of Puigdemont and role of Junts
In addition to praising Puig on a personal level and as a patriot, the president of the Parliament pointed out that the possible return of Carles Puigdemont to Catalonia may share certain symbolic elements with that of Puig, although he emphasized that it will also be highlighted that "he has preserved the institution (of the Generalitat) in exile."
After Puigdemont's statements, in which he indicated that he will not assume the role of leader of the opposition, Rull stressed that the decision of whether or not to occupy this position corresponds exclusively to Junts.