Catalonia Today, July 6, 2006 | Warning over the Frankfurt book fair

José Montilla, the minister for Industry and PSC candidate for the Generalitat, calls for work by Catalan writers in Spanish not to be "outlawed" at the 2007 Frankfurt book fair, where Catalana literature will be guest of honour. The socialists say Catalan writers who write in Spanish also produce Catalan literature. Funny that Montilla should speak of "outlawing" literary works in Spanish. Just this week the European Parliament agreed that the co-official languages in Spain –Catalan, Galician and Basque– should be accepted in official communications. What languages were outlawed till now in the European Parliament? Spanish, too? Frankfurt is clearly bringing out the Catalanisme-espanyolisme axis of Catalan politics. Only ERC and CiU have reacted with indignation at the words of Montilla, who was backed by the Generalitat’s culture minister, Ferran Mascarell. Tilbert D. Stegmann, lecturer at the University of Frankfurt and president of the Associació Germanocatalana, warned: "Watch out, in Frankfurt you’ll have to defend Catalan literature." As they say, the spectator sees more of the game...

(Article de Saül Gordillo al setmanari Catalonia Today, 6 de juliol de 2006, pàgina 3.)