WE have written on many occasions about the links between Scotland and Catalonia and their shared aspirations to become independent, but now one of their ministers is taking it further, wearing a Saltire face mask around Barcelona.

Ramon Tremosa is the Catalan business and knowledge minister, and was pictured wearing the mask walking between meetings in the Palace of the Generalitat (government). He has also worn the Saltire mask in his office.

The National:

Many of Catalonia’s pro-independence supporters kept up with developments in the Holyrood elections online, or reading articles which we shared with Catalan publications, and it appears that Tremosa – a former MEP – is no different.

On the morning of May 6, the 55-year-old tweeted: “Today #Scotland is voting.

“A growing majority of #Catalans is sharing the same will for self-determination and independence, with the same pro-European feelings.”

He is a professor at the University of Barcelona and has published a dozen books on the European Union, monetary policy, regional economics and fiscal federalism, as well as numerous academic articles.

One Catalan government insider told us they did not know why the minister was wearing a Saltire, but speculated: “My guess is that the mask is linked to the 50.1% of Scottish votes being for parties favouring independence.”

The National: