Catalonia's head of government, Pere Aragonés, said he hopes to make progress next year on an agreement related to a referendum on the region's independence from Spain, the Catalan government in Twitter reported.

According to the politician, 2023 should be the year to give shape to the agreement of clarity, to achieve strength and internal legitimacy, to defend to the state as a proposal for a country capable of recognition at the international level.

Aragonés noted that now is the time to reopen the way toward a referendum on Catalan independence.

On October 1, 2017, Catalonia held a referendum on the region's secession from Spain. Madrid recognized the vote as illegitimate and refused to recognize its outcome.

Later, the Catalan Parliament approved a resolution on the proclamation of an independent republic - to which the Spanish authorities responded by applying Article 155 of the constitution, which allowed to limit the self-government of Catalonia.