Statement on Catalan Referendum

Following recent events in Spain, the Open Society Foundations and George Soros would like to make clear that we have not played any role, financial or otherwise, in supporting the Catalonian independence movement or the referendum. We do not take a position on the independence of Catalonia.

The Open Society Foundations work to uphold human rights, civil liberties, and democratic principles across Europe and beyond. Since 2013, the Open Society Initiative for Europe has operated from a regional office in Barcelona, making grants to organizations in the European Union and the Western Balkans. In Spain, we have supported local initiatives aimed at preventing ethnic profiling during police stop-and-searches, fighting xenophobic stereotyping, guaranteeing the right to protest, monitoring the abuse of migrants, protecting whistleblowers, and facilitating access to lifesaving medication.