Aragonese Official Slams Catalan 'Colonial' Approach to Sijena Mural Dispute
The cultural rights of the Aragonese are at the heart of a dispute between the Generalitat and the Government of Aragon. Pedro Olloqui, Director General of Culture in Aragon, has spoken out against what he sees as anti-Aragonese sentiment and a colonial approach from Catalan institutions. The issue revolves around the ownership and conservation of the Sijena mural paintings, currently housed in the National Museum of Art of Catalonia (MNAC).
Olloqui pointed out that the Generalitat is under pressure from pro-independence organizations, but a minority of Catalan society should not dictate the cultural rights of the Aragonese. He expressed concern about the resistance from various administrations to fulfilling judicial sentences that recognize Aragonese ownership of the Sijena goods and demand their transfer to Aragon.
Olloqui criticized statements by the Counselor of Culture of the Generalitat, Sònia Hernández, for attributing the conservation of the paintings to Catalan institutions. He accused the Government of Spain of maintaining a double language, stating that sentences must be complied with while working with authorities opposing the transfer of the paintings. Olloqui considered it incomprehensible that the minister stated that work is being done without communicating or authorizing it with the Aragonese government.
Olloqui maintained that for Catalonia to progress, it is fundamental that the institutions give a lesson in democracy and prepare for a future without Sijena. He considered that there is a strong anti-Aragonism in the actions of the Catalan institutions, which are using a colonial relationship model with Aragon.
The Minister of Culture, Ernest Urtasun, stated that technicians of the Ministry are working together with those of the Barcelona City Council and those of the Generalitat in the protection of these works. However, Olloqui emphasized that the Government of Aragon is the owner of the mural paintings by a firm judicial sentence of the Supreme Court.
The dispute over the Sijena mural paintings continues, with Pedro Olloqui calling for a democratic approach and respect for Aragonese cultural rights. The future of the paintings remains uncertain, with the Aragonese government pushing for their return and the Catalan institutions maintaining their current location. The Spanish government has been involved in the restoration work but has also been criticized for its role in the dispute.
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