The EU has refused to condemn Spanish state violence against secessionist region, Catalonia.
MEPs have slammed the EU for its indifference towards the crisis, pointing out Spain’s status as a core member state likely granting it unfair preferential treatment.
Among MEPs, Nigel Farage has been a critical voice, blasting the EU’s on-the-fence attitude, and its reiteration of the Spanish government’s line that the referendum is ‘not valid’.
“A sincere dialogue is what the international community wants and what Catalonia expects, not confrontation and new threats.”
— Oriol Junqueras, Catalan Vice-President
The EU, supposedly a mediating body to prevent European conflict, has called the crisis a Spain-related ‘internal affair’ rather than a humanitarian crisis of state-imposed, anti-democratic tyranny — which it appears to be.
Despite Catalan calls for negotiation, Spain’s PM, Mariano Rajoy has flatly refused any working dialogue; instead threatening article 155 to forcibly seize Catalonia.
The Catalan President, Carles Puigdemont, described in a tweet how his push for peaceful negotiations with Spain have been futile:
“We ask for dialogue and the response is to put article 155 on the table.”
— Carles Puigdemont, Catalan President
In a shock move, the Spanish King, Felipe VI, who rarely talks politics, condemned the move for self-determination; with no mention of support for democracy:
“They (Catalan leaders) have infringed the system of legally approved rules with their decisions, showing an unacceptable disloyalty towards the powers of the state.”
— Felipe VI, King of Spain
It appears the Spanish state have jumped on the referendum’s apparent illegality, and are clinging to that narrative to downplay the idea a legitimate one will ever take place.
Spain is acting in its own best interests: not in the support of democracy.
Of course, it is in the best interests of a governing body to retain all of its regions, but if a civilized world is to be recognized; democracy must be acknowledged and upheld — and mediating bodies, such as the EU, instated to prevent conflict, must act accordingly, or cease to have relevance.
Mr. Rajoy stated that there could be no discussion of Spain’s national unity, as guaranteed by the country’s 1978 constitution; an anti-democratic ruling.
Despite Spain’s hardline position, Mr. Puigdemont’s stance is clear:
“We’re not criminals. We’re not mad. We’re not carrying out a coup… we’re normal people who want to be able to vote and who have been prepared to engage in whatever dialogue was necessary to do so in a mutually agreed way.”
Catalonia: not an isolated example of secession.
The ever-closer EU ‘federation of regions’ has caused a resurgence in national self-determination across the continent. Catalonia was fueled by anti neo-Francoist sentiments pooled in a liberty-leaning, wealthy Catalonia:
(The crisis) threatens “the spirit of European integration, even more than Brexit.”
— Philippe Lamberts, MEP
Referendum result is an under-representation rather than a misrepresentation.
Officials said that 90% of votes cast were for independence. The Catalan government’s spokesman said that an estimated 770,000 votes were lost as a result of 400 polling stations being raided by Spanish police which placed the official turnout below 50%.
In what is apparently a bid for self-determination, the Spanish government insist it is the opposite.
“This is not about independence, yes or no,” Mr. Rajoy said. “This is about a rebellion against the rule of law. And the rule of law is the foundation of coexistence, not only in Spain but in Europe.”
But Puigdemont’s appeal for mediation and negotiation paints a different picture than that of ‘rebellion’. Rather, Madrid’s court-sanctioned police brutality paints the picture of the real aggressor in this fracas.
Recent events show the Madrid administration for what it is, a self-interested entity that refuses to represent the regions of its dominion. The referendum is a natural result of that.
The story continues…
The Spearhead Journal 