President Quim Torra, in his speech ahead of tomorrow's Diada (Catalonia's national day), has warned that the right to self-determination does not belong to governors, but to the people, and that it's the only way to resolve their will. "Every right we are denied, we'll have to exercise again", he insisted, after calling for courage, intelligence, generosity and unity.

The brief message was broadcast on the public radio and television this evening, having been recorded earlier in the Catalan government palace in Barcelona. The text made no explicit mention of the political prisoners or exiles. Standing just outside the official office of the president in the palace, he said that "Catalonia will be what the Catalans want" and that, in the 21st century, all democratic, peaceful fights have to be able to succeed if they have the majority support of the populace.

"If we're still not free, it's because we're not at the end of the path," he said. He called for the public to move forwards together towards the objective of self-determination and to take to the streets tomorrow "without fear" to show their commitment to democracy and social, civil and political rights.

Democracy under siege

Torra said that democracy will always be the response of the Catalan people and that today Catalonia is "under a long and painful siege". The Diada marks the fall of Barcelona in 1714 at the end of its literal siege during the War of the Spanish Succession.

"For that reason, I ask you to face the times that are coming with determination and courage, with intelligence and character, with generosity and unity, with initiative and conviction, with serenity and ambition, with all the collective ambition in the world," he said. He called on his audience to be demanding of itself, before making demands of anyone else.

The president ended his speech saying: "Long live Catalonia, democracy and freedom".