A new initiative promoted by the civil society aiming at debating self-determination in the Catalan Parliament has been launched today in Barcelona. Its name is 10Mil a Brussel·les per l'Autodeterminació (10Thousand to Brussels for self-determination, 10Mil.cat), the platform organising a demonstration for Catalan independence on Saturday 7th March in Brussels.

Few days before the demonstration spokesmen for 10Thousand to Brussels have announced that they are going to collect signatures to promote a popular legislative initiative in order to debate the question of self-determination within the Parliament of Catalonia. According to the promoters, if the proposal prospered the chamber should be forced to call a referendum, which currently has no legal power to hold. The date offered for the referendum is September 12, 2010. Members of 10Thousand to Brussels have declared they already have the support of five Catalan political parties (CDC, ERC, UDC, IC-V and EUiA)

Demonstration in Brussels and meeting in the European Parliament
For the last five months some private citizens have been working to promote and co-ordinate a demonstration of Catalan people in Brussels so that "self-determination for Catalonia is included in the international agenda" and the Catalan parties "declare themselves in favour of independence and incorporate such goal in their political programs".

In order to make the initiative and the Catalan issue known, a delegation will meet several members of the European Parliament on Thursday, two days before the demonstration, and will hand them in an official declaration so that MEP can disseminate the Catalan case in the European Parliament.

Further information:

• 10Mil.cat website
• Avui: "¿Està vostè d'acord que Catalunya es converteixi en un estat de dret, independent, democràtic i social, integrat a la Unió Europea?"
• Directe.cat: 10Mil a Brussel·les demana un referèndum sobre l'autodeterminació