Andorra Crepe Owner Calls Catalan a Dialect, Blames Spanish Immigrants

Ahmed Agharbi ElBachiri, owner of Creperia de la Rotonda in Andorra la Vella, has sparked controversy by dismissing Catalan as a mere dialect rather than a language, attributing the limited use of Catalan in Andorra to the influx of Spanish-speaking immigrants from South America.

In a recent interview with local YouTuber Wall Street Wolverine, ElBachiri explained the prevalence of Spanish in the Principat by pointing to workers from countries like Argentina, Peru, and Colombia. "Here there are only immigrants working," he said. "They come from abroad—will they learn Catalan in two days? Catalan is super complicated."

He went further, questioning the status of Catalan outright: "It's not even a language, it's a dialect. What kind of language is that?" As Wolverine laughed, ElBachiri added, "That's how it is. But where is Catalan spoken?"

The remarks, which have gone viral, drew sharp criticism online. One X user labeled ElBachiri a "catalanophobe," accusing him of failing to integrate after moving to Andorra for better opportunities while insulting the country's identity. The post included a clip from the interview and highlighted the creperia's location in the capital.

ElBachiri's comments underscore ongoing debates about language use in Andorra, where Spanish is widely spoken among the immigrant workforce despite Catalan being the official language. No response from ElBachiri or the creperia has been reported since the video surfaced.