What's happening?
This is the second time Catalonia is hosting an independence referendum, but now it is more serious than three years ago. Supporters of separation from Spain speak of what is happening almost as a fait accompli and are very determined. The Madrid government, too, understands that this secession attempt is no longer a joke, and reinforces its insecure position in the region with several thousand guards from all over the kingdom.
Why is Spain opposed to the secession of Catalonia?
Catalonia is perhaps the main economic center of Spain. Industry, science, finance, business sites, trade and transport hubs and also there are world famous tourist corners. This region produces up to 20% of the state's GDP.
In addition, if Catalonia leaves tomorrow, another industrial region - the Basque Country - may be in the queue for the secession.
What about the legal side of the matter?
The 1978 Constitution does not provide for the unilateral secession of regions from Spain. For this, according to the authorities, it is necessary to hold not a regional, but a national referendum - to ask the consent of the entire population of Spain to withdraw. But so far, voting is taking place only in Catalonia.
The referendum procedure itself also raises many questions. Not all municipalities have given the go-ahead for it. Election Commissions consist of volunteers, and representatives of the unionist opposition will not be in them. There is no proper international supervision. Nobody knows how the voter lists will be drawn up and what degrees of protection the ballots will have: the authorities are closing the official websites of the referendum, and the printing houses are working in extreme conditions.
The initiators of the referendum know all these weak spots, but they believe that everything will be decided in the struggle, because on their side, albeit uncertain, but still an advantage public opinion in Catalonia. The authorities, on the contrary, understand that if they lose sympathy in the region, they will only have to appeal to the 40-year-old constitution, which no longer meets the challenges of our time.
Who are the Catalans?
Like every nation, Catalans have their own national myth, created by the intelligentsia in the 19th century. It is rooted in the medieval kingdom of Aragon, within which the Catalan ethnos and its culture were formed. The Kingdom of Spain was founded in 1469 through a dynastic marriage between King Ferdinand II, ruler of Aragon, and Isabella I, Queen of Castile, the second most powerful state on the peninsula, created during the Reconquista.
Castile dominated - though long time Aragon, which included Catalan lands, retained its autonomy. Here, in contrast to centralized Castile, a very specific political culture was formed, based on the guilds of artisans and merchants. And this culture has been present here throughout modern history, reaching our days.
Also in Aragon, the ancient version of the Catalan language was in use - like Spanish ("Castilian"), it is included in the Romance group of languages. The vocabulary differences between these languages are not too great, the grammar is very similar. But Catalan has a very peculiar phonetics, so for the rest of the inhabitants of Spain and Latin America it is difficult to understand.
The process of reclaiming land Iberian Peninsula Christians - Spaniards and Portuguese - among the Moors.
Was Catalonia itself once independent?
Yes, in the territory of modern Catalonia, in the 17th century, attempts were made to create an independent state headed by the local nobility. But it should be understood that in those days the Catalan national identity in her modern understanding did not exist yet, just as nations did not exist in other countries - they were just emerging. 11 September 1714, when the regional capital Barcelona was in again taken by Spanish troops, today is considered the day of the final loss of independence and is celebrated as the National Day of Catalonia.
How did the Catalans feel like a nation?
Catalan nationalism took the stage in late XIX century, when the local bourgeoisie was deprived of the opportunity to trade with the colonies that had ceded to the United States - Cuba and Puerto Rico and, having developed industry, decided to secede from Spain. The Barcelona capitalists spared no expense in supporting the intellectuals who were creating the ideological basis for centrifugal aspirations. And soon the Catalans began to define themselves as a nation, claiming their own statehood.
There was also an attempt to proclaim independence in the 1930s. The republican government allowed Catalonia to have broad autonomy rights, but the Spanish generals did not like this situation at all: on which side will Catalonia fight during civil war(1936-1939), it was obvious. At that time, left-wing Catalan nationalists, communists and anarchosyndicalists shared the full power in the region. But the defeat of the Republicans in the civil war put an end to the Catalan project.
Left-wing radical movement fighting for a classless society; does not seek state power, and considers the trade unions as the main instrument.
Almost 40 years of the fascist dictatorship of General Franco were very painful for Catalonia. Repressions fell here not only on the left underground republicans: the Catalan language and culture itself were banned. “If you are Spaniard, speak Spanish,” said the Francoist slogan.
After the collapse of the dictatorship in the second half of the 1970s, the question of independence arose again. The Madrid establishment managed to resolve this conflict by striking a deal with local elites and granting autonomy to the region. The Catalans were allowed to have their own parliament and police, they were allowed to leave part of the tax revenues for the needs of the autonomy.
During these years, the Catalan language was actively reviving: in the autonomy it received the status of an official one along with Spanish and Arran. Almost all schools in the region teach in Catalan, and Spanish is taught as one of the subjects. The civil service does not accept people who do not speak both languages. Catalan prevails on local television and radio, cinema, music, theater. Newspapers are often sold in two versions. A large Hispanic population complains about the oppression.
Granting autonomy and legalizing the activities of Catalan parties did their job: the idea of gaining independence remained marginal for almost thirty years.
Why is independence trending again?
That all changed in 2010 when Madrid cut its autonomy rights. The designation of the Catalans as a nation was removed from the Statute of Autonomy, and the Catalan language no longer had a "preferred meaning". The Council of Justice of Catalonia was deprived of the right to manage the region's justice system, the role of the local banking system and insurance was reduced, and contributions to federal budget- increased.
Outraged by this decision, the Catalans began to sympathize with the ideas of secession - including the local ruling elite, for which it was a way to retain influence after the extremely unpopular cuts in social programs.
The previous attempt to hold a referendum took place in 2014. 81% of citizens voted for it, although the turnout was low - 37% (numerous opponents of the department did not come to the polling stations). The referendum was outlawed, and the Generalitat, the government of Catalonia, backed down to avoid having to answer for violating the constitution. The expression of will was called advisory.
Now everything is more serious. For the current referendum and the Generalitat, and the parliamentary majority of Catalonia, and numerous organizations advocating for independence have been preparing for two whole years. This is not about a plebiscite, but about a full-fledged referendum, which should have legal force.
Moods have also changed: a few years ago, the independence movement was not mainstream. Last time in Catalonia, the local new left, affiliated with the all-Spanish Podemos party, was in the lead. The party grew out of massive street protests and promised major social and democratic transformations. In Catalonia, the new left became popular among workers and youth in Barcelona and its industrial satellite cities.
But already in 2016, the new left could not win the elections to the Spanish parliament - they were supported only by the "separatist" Catalonia and the Basque Country. Seeing that this political force is not popular in other regions of the country and that Spain is still far from democratic changes, the Catalans have established themselves in the desire to proclaim their own republic with a new social order.
What happens if the Catalans lose?
If the referendum takes place, its results are already known: the overwhelming majority will vote “for” - the independents are now in the highest degree mobilized. Opponents of independence, of whom there are also many, are inclined to boycott the referendum, which is called for by the local unionist opposition - and this is almost half of the Catalan parliament.
They also understand this in Madrid. After the adoption of the law on holding a referendum in the Parliament of Catalonia, it became clear that the government was not going to make concessions and would interfere with the vote: now thousands of Civil Guard and police fighters are being transferred to the autonomy. While the security forces do not undertake active action, carrying out only pinpoint operations to seize the property of printing houses that printed propaganda materials. The main events are expected on the day of the referendum.
If the voting is stopped in a forceful manner, it will inevitably result in mass protests - the independents do not intend to retreat from their own. A general strike is scheduled for October 3. Everyone hopes that there will be no violence.
According to rumors, there is a possibility that a temporary administration will be introduced in the autonomy, parliament will be dissolved and new elections will be scheduled. But how to calm the rebellious region, it seems, no one in Madrid knows.
What if the Catalans win?
Independent believers believe that a single call from Berlin to Madrid is enough to solve the crisis. But it sounds like a fantasy: the European Union, led by Germany, supports the integrity of Spain. In addition, some European countries also has its own problem regions, for example Flanders as part of Belgium. The question arises: who recognizes independent Catalonia?
Even if by some miracle this happens, it is not clear whether Catalonia will remain in the European Union. Brussels has already made it clear more than once that it will have to go through the accession procedure again. And if at least one country is against - and one will definitely be against - then the doors of the European Union will remain closed.
As for the economy, the Catalans rely on the strength of their industry. But what about capital flight? How to deal with a gap economic ties? Catalans could lose the Spanish market if they secede
The ship on which the Spanish Ministry of the Interior has deployed police units. Barcelona, 23 September 2017. Photo: Manu Fernandez / AP Photo / East News
Considering the number of police officers and Civil Guard fighters being moved to the region, the question arose with their placement. Therefore, the Ministry of the Interior resorted to non-standard solution: security officials were placed on two cruise ships who are moored in the port of Barcelona. Moreover, on board one of the liners intended for family vacation, giant cartoon characters were depicted. When this became the subject of jokes, the police draped the cartoon characters with black cloth. The Independents immediately stood up for the characters and proclaimed one of them - the chick Twitty - as their symbol.
Vladislav Kudrik Friday, 27 October 2017, 22:39The Spanish Senate responded by activating Article 155 of the country's Constitution, which in fact takes autonomy from the Catalans. There are no precedents for the application of this article in the history of the state, so it is very difficult to predict what the consequences of the elections in Barcelona and Madrid will be. On the most important questions related to Catalonia and how events in Spain may develop further, "Apostrophe" was answered by a Hispanist, candidate of historical sciences and teacher of the Ukrainian history program. catholic university BOGDAN PLAGUE.
What can be the actions of the Spanish authorities, except? If there is room for negotiation, what do you think will it look like?
Article 155 provides that autonomy is abolished. And this will be the direct control of Catalonia from Madrid. Although in reality this will only mean an aggravation of the situation. Because I think that the Catalan proponents of independence themselves expect this. They hope so, because it will give them the opportunity to mobilize their supporters. It will also give them the opportunity to clearly articulate and use in their rhetoric that Spain is undemocratic, that it restricts the democratic rights of Catalans, and so on.
What consequences will the activation of Article 155 and the proclamation of the independence of Catalonia by secret ballot by only half of the parliament have for Catalonia and Spain, that is atboycotteunionists?
I would see this as a continuation of the crisis, which can be called the Catalan crisis. And which, obviously, cannot be solved at once, because, despite all the reasons and grounds for the declaration of independence and for the enactment of the 155th article of the Constitution, too many politicians intervened in this matter. And here we are also talking about the political future both for the Catalan parties in favor of independence and for the all-Spanish parties. For example, if the Catalan supporters of independence give in, surrendering their interests, then they may lose their votes in the next parliamentary elections. But for the Spanish ruling People's Party (PP), the situation is also to a certain extent beneficial, because this is its rhetoric - that it is necessary to protect a united Spain. Whereas the left, their current opposition, on the contrary, admits the possibility of negotiations with Catalonia, a new political pact. For example, there were words that it might be necessary to reformat Spain into republican form rule, that is, they kind of contributed to this split of the country. In the next elections, both the Catalan supporters of independence can, by radicalizing the situation, increase the number of votes in their favor, as well as the Spanish right.
Catalan officials have warned that if Article 155 is activated, they will not follow orders from Madrid, even low-level officials. Will this really be the case and is it possible to use any forceful scenario against Barcelona?
The Catalans have said before that if Madrid does not listen to them and limits their rights, they will resort to an action of civil disobedience. And, in fact, the failure to comply with the orders of Madrid will be one of the forms of action of disobedience. I have no doubt that such actions will take place and such defiance will take place. The only question is how widespread this phenomenon will be, how many of these officials will support and not support Madrid's actions. For example, since the referendum on October 1, we saw the situation with the local police Mossos, which actually split into two groups - some carried out the orders of the autonomous government, others refused and submitted to Madrid.
Since the referendum, Catalonia, in your opinion, has moved away from independence? Or does it still have about the same chances of achieving it?
I think that the supporters of independence have achieved their goal, and this allowed them to mobilize and quite clearly define their adherents. But at the same time, the opponents of independence were defined, and quite clearly. Despite the fact that I have said more than once that the Catalans have grounds for their independence, because it is a modern nation, but also do not forget that at least half of the population lives in Catalonia itself, which is against independence. Another thing is that she is not mobilized, she is silent. But this also has to be reckoned with, because independence not only outlined and activated the supporters of independence, it also activated the opponents of independence. We see it during last month on promotions that take place in Catalonia itself and other regions of Spain.
Why did the Catalan authorities not agree to an immediate declaration of independence immediately after the referendum? Did they have no such intention or did they still hope to achieve something in the negotiations with Madrid? And if such an expectation existed, why did they not take into account the rather harsh reaction during the referendum itself? After all, it was clear that Madrid was not ready for these concessions.
One gets the impression that none of the parties wants to radicalize the situation so that it comes to some kind of armed conflict, bloodshed, and so on. On the other hand, I have the impression that the Catalan champions of independence were hoping for a different reaction from the European Union and individual European states, which they did not hear, because the position of the European Commission and the leading leaders of the united Europe was categorically for Madrid, for the preservation of the unity of Spain. On the other hand, they thus hoped to actualize the issue of a new political reform and the reformatting of Spain, such as the transformation of the state into a federal republic. And this did not happen. Therefore, the situation is dragging on. Although it was predicted. The Catalan crisis is a long-term issue and cannot be resolved so quickly.
Of course. But now the question will be how to apply this solution, how to implement this direct control. After all, the 155th article of the Constitution will be used for the first time, the Spanish government does not have such experience. And it is not known what methods the Spanish officials are ready to resort to in order to bring this plan to life. I am sure that they will beware of radical actions, the use of force, because the events themselves on the day of the referendum on October 1 showed that the Catalans are very good at using this to their advantage. They showed themselves as civilians, their actions were peaceful, and the "bad and cruel" Madrid resorted to beating, and this only gave them the opportunity to mobilize new supporters.
Why Barcelona Rejected the Announcement Option early elections to the Catalan parliament? There are rumors that this happened because Barcelona was not given clear guarantees that Article 155 would not apply. Perhaps you have other options?
It was suggested The Socialist Party, which is not part of the group of parties supporters of independence, and this has somewhat led away from the main goal - from independence itself. Now the new elections are irrelevant for them, for example, they can be used by their opponents to show that independence did not happen. I think that the Catalan pro-independence parties are not sure of their new victory, because so far they have not managed to achieve any greater goal. Although, as a way to once again mobilize our adherents, we cannot rule out it. With the introduction of Article 155, further restoration of autonomy should take place subject to new parliamentary elections.
Throughout last weeks we see a constant struggle between the Madrid and Catalan authorities for the votes of the opposition parties at the Pan-Spanish and Catalan levels. How will recent events affect the positions of these parties?
Obviously they will. They are already influencing. For example, if the ruling People's Party consistently adhered to the position of the unity of Spain, did not allow any options for even expanding autonomy, then the left parties, in particular Podemos, even admitted the possibility of negotiations with the Catalans and reformatting Spain. It can be expected that in the event of new elections to the General Cortes (parliament, - "Apostrophe") of Spain, the left will lose their votes - and not only Podemos, which so far had a quarter of parliamentary deputies, but also the largest opposition party, the Socialist the Labor Party (PSOE), which was forced to come to an agreement with the People's Party, to succumb to its pressure to support this idea of the Catalan independence movement. It will also affect her electorate.
What, in your opinion, does the head of the government of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont, have the chances of repeating the fate of his predecessor, Arthur Mas? Will he be removed, possibly prosecuted after today's vote?
The chances of this are great, but we must remember that the chairman of the government is one person, this is public person, which falls to announce certain decisions, but the decision was still made by the parliamentary majority of Catalonia. Therefore, this is a collective responsibility, although this collective responsibility will require great restrictions in rights for Catalans, so the sacrifice of Puigdemont may be one of the simplest solutions to this crisis.
- Will this really be a solution to the crisis?
I don't think this will be a solution, but many in Spain, I think, would like it. Let's, they say, we start from the beginning, this responsibility will be on Puigdemon, but we continue to work, announce new elections and so on.
Summing up, what will be the significance of the declaration of independence by the Parliament of Catalonia? Did this bring the Catalans closer to their goal?
Probably, it brought it closer, because there is a solution. The question is whether it will be possible to implement it. This is already a new political reality and a new political position, which the Madrid authorities will have to reckon with. The successors to independence will not go anywhere, independent parties exist and already have another page in the history of their movement for independence. And they will also use it as a mobilization resource, as a way to unite their supporters. And this additional opportunity criticize Madrid for being "anti-democratic".
Will the Catalan experience really be extremely important for other separatist regions and the future of the EU? Or is further fragmentation of states an inevitable process?
I am not a supporter of immediately transferring the Catalan experience to other so-called "separatist regions". Nor is he a supporter of the use of this term "separatist region". The fact is that the Catalan movement is a separatist movement, but we must remember that it contains key difference from many similar movements in other countries Western Europe... The Catalan nation as a modern nation took shape in the first half of the 19th century. Since the beginning of the 20th century, there have been political parties that clearly declare the need for autonomy and independence. This movement is quite massive. These parties in local and Spanish elections received a large number of votes have won over the past ten years. If you find a similar example in another Western European country, then we can talk about some other separatist regions besides Catalonia. But there are no such examples. Catalonia is the exception rather than one example.
As for the EU, it is obviously a rather complex institution. This is a big bureaucracy that works very slowly. It must be reformed. And it must respond to the challenges of the time, and not only preserve the situation. For example, it can be reformatted from a union of states into a union of peoples, nations or a union of regions, which can resolve this situation with separatism.
Vladislav KudrikFound a mistake - highlight and press Ctrl + Enter
Catalonia separates from Spain! News about this became popular once again. Large-scale rallies and voting are held. But why is Catalonia separating from Spain, and why is it?
November failures
In November 2014, the Spanish Congress of Deputies decided to refuse to hold a referendum on independence in Catalonia. According to the law of the kingdom, a vote on the secession of any of the regions must be held throughout the country. Moreover, such a strict and complex procedure practically does not make it possible to implement it.
Exactly one year later, on November 9, the Parliament of Catalonia adopted a resolution that formulated the main objective- “gaining independence from Madrid”. The whole world started talking about Catalonia being separated from Spain. Is it true?
An action plan was developed for the secession of Catalonia from Spain by 2017. Residents need to form a government and accept new constitution, after which their land will become officially free. However, in the elections in Catalonia, the majority of the inhabitants, striving for autonomy, voted for a united Spain.
Immediately thereafter, the Council of Ministers of Spain filed a lawsuit with the Constitutional Court, in order to, in turn, invalidate the resolution of the autonomous republic. Once again, attempts by the Catalans to secede from the Kingdom of Spain were unsuccessful. The country's Constitutional Court annulled the resolution adopted on November 9, 2015. But still, the Catalan government announced that it will continue to take all measures to achieve the intended goal. Why does Catalonia want to secede from Spain?
How it all began
For many years the people of Catalonia have striven to preserve their independence, national uniqueness and cultural identity. But as a result of numerous bloody wars, he failed to defend his own freedom. Catalonia has been separating from Spain for over three centuries. Why it happens?
It dates back to 988. Count Borrell II announced the freedom of his own lands from the French invaders and proclaimed his land the County of Barcelona.
In 1137, the landmark unification of the County of Barcelona with Catalonia takes place, and it increases significantly in size, establishing its authority in the territory present Italy, Andorra, France ( South part) and Valencia. Today, the inhabitants of the autonomous region of Valencia in Spain are not much different from the Catalan, and some residents of this area consider themselves Catalans. At the same time, the population of Valencia does not want to acquire sovereignty.
Loss of sovereignty
The first loss of independence of Catalonia occurred as a result of the war of 1701-1714 between the heirs to the Spanish throne, Philip V and Charles VI of Habsburg. The victory of the first ended in the loss of the sovereignty of the feudal lords, who relied on the Habsburgs. National Day of Catalonia, which is widely celebrated in the region these years, is timed to coincide with this date.
From this stage, the long struggle of the Catalans for independence began. Repeatedly trying to gain sovereignty, the republic has suffered many acts of intense and violent "Hispanization". This is one of the reasons why Catalonia wants to secede from Spain.
Spanish Civil War
The most successful chance of gaining independence was the civil war in 1871, which ended with the overthrow of the monarchy in Spain. Catalonia was recognized as autonomy. The fight against Franco turned into persecution for the indigenous Catalans. Many were forced to leave their homeland, fearing execution. Having once again lost its autonomy status, Catalonia managed to return it only by 1979 thanks to terrorist organization Terra Liura.
XXI Century. Declaration of sovereignty
In 2006, as a result of negotiations between the Parliament of Catalonia and the Spanish government of the autonomous region, additional rights were granted. They mainly concern the economic part. But this measure did not help to extinguish separatist sentiments among the Catalans, but only produced the opposite effect.
In 2013, the people of Catalonia have achieved a lot. They have their own nationality, they celebrate their own holidays at state level... Unlike the whole territory of Spain, bullfighting is prohibited on the lands of Catalonia because flamenco is not danced here. recognized as official, and all locals it is emphatically deliberate that they prefer it to Spanish. Another unique fact is that the Catalans have their own domain on the Internet, which is not found in any region or autonomy within any country.
The 2013 Declaration of Sovereignty of Catalonia only reignited new wave nationalist movements. A economic crisis, aggravated financial position Catalans, gave impetus to industrialization. Today this province is the most developed in Spain. Despite the fact that the population of Catalonia is only 1/7 of the entire population of Spain, just under 50 percent of the entire industry of the kingdom is located on its territory. The tourism business is well developed, accounting for 1/5 of Spain's GDP.
The reluctance of the Catalans to share with the unemployed Spaniards during the economic downturn is reasonable. This is the main reason why Catalonia wants to secede from Spain.
You can't stay away
There is one incredibly significant factor that makes the Catalans vote for unity with Spain. This is membership in the European Union. Surprisingly, this makes Spain feel a little more confident in this struggle for independence.
Separation from Madrid threatens Barcelona with the loss of ties with Brussels. This will automatically remove Catalonia from the EU, negatively affecting everyone. economic performance region. And even if Madrid, which previously did not recognize either Palestine, Kosovo, Abkhazia, or Crimea, nevertheless recognizes Catalonia as a separate independent state, it will take a long time until new contracts are concluded and previous agreements are signed. The resources spent on negotiating, resolving all legal issues and completing the necessary agreements will have a detrimental effect on the state of the economy and financial well-being every citizen of Catalonia.
Radically-minded separatists do not attach due importance to this fact, calling for sovereignty. Holding rallies, processions and various campaigning, the nationalists were preparing for the referendum on November 9.
It is possible, but not
Officially, the Spanish government allows local authorities Catalonia to consider and adopt a new resolution on sovereignty, but after its adoption and the next vote of the inhabitants appeals to the court, which reverses this decision. Catalonia is not deprived of the constitutional right to hold a plebiscite and further secession, but they are not allowed to use them to the end. It also causes a wave of discontent among the residents and prompts them to fight.
Once again, the attempt to become a separate state ended in failure. And it is worth noting that at the last referendum held, 70% of Catalan residents voted "NO", thereby wishing to remain part of Spain. But a party was elected to the parliament of the autonomy, the political course of which is set to disconnect and independence. This means that the process will not stop, and in the near future, perhaps, we will witness the birth of a new state. Whether Catalonia will separate from Spain, no one can say 100%. But time will tell.
09:25 — REGNUM Catalonia will declare its independence from Spain within a few days, head of the Generalitat Carles Puigdemont told the BBC. According to him, if the Spanish government intervenes, it will be a mistake that "will change everything." Currently, there are no contacts of the autonomy government with official Madrid, Puigdemont said.
The referendum on the independence of Catalonia, in which 2.2 million voters of the region out of 5.3 million, voted on October 1. 90% of the voters supported the autonomy's independence.
The Spanish government did not recognize the results of the referendum and accused the Catalan authorities of spreading false information about the victims of the protests. King Felipe VI of Spain said the regional government had demonstrated "unacceptable insubordination" in order to "destroy the unity of Spain."
According to the monarch, Catalonia will also be a part of Spain, which will get better - there will be no independence of the region. The European Union also announced that it does not recognize the results of the referendum.
Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic accused the EU of double standards, recalling that a similar referendum in Kosovo, which was part of Serbia, in 2007 was recognized by the world community without any reservations. The independence of this Serbian region, declared in February 2008, was immediately recognized by the United States, France and other states.
“The EU will never admit that it made a mistake in recognizing Kosovo, but this decision had negative consequences for it. Pandora's box was opened, ”said Dacic.
The Serbian government will send a letter to the European Commission demanding clarification of the official position of Brussels on the referendum in Catalonia and how it relates to the issue of recognition of Kosovo's independence. At the same time, the Serbian Foreign Ministry noted that they do not expect a change in the position of 22 EU states that have recognized Kosovo, despite the new conditions.
The European Commission tried to explain the "double standards". When asked by journalists about why Kosovo was once recognized as independent, and Catalonia is now being denied this right, the EC representative said that such parallels are inappropriate, since Spain is a member of the European Union, and Serbia is not.
We were delighted with the results of the referendum at one more point of the European Union that requires independence: in Scotland. The Scottish government said that Catalonia should be allowed to determine its own destiny. Edinburgh also stressed that the international community the desire of the Catalans for independence should not be ignored.
The Scottish government also held a referendum on the region's independence from the United Kingdom in 2014. Then the citizens voted against, but Edinburgh has repeatedly announced its intention to re-vote. Against the background of Britain's withdrawal from the European Union, these statements began to be heard more often.
According to the permanent author, presenting the Catalan referendum as a legal act, it is necessary to open the Spanish constitution and read that issues that are crucial for the state are resolved by popular vote (not only by residents of one region).
Between Spain and Catalonia - another outbreak of mutual enmity, implicated in the centuries-old desire of the Catalans to live independently of the Spaniards. The Spanish newspaper El País learned that the Generalitat (government) of Catalonia has already developed a mechanism for the "immediate separation" of this historical area from the rest of Spain in case official Madrid interferes with the referendum on independence in Catalonia. The decision to organize the referendum was adopted by the Catalan parliament back in October 2016. But the exact date of the Generalitat of Catalonia "reserved", that is, it is kept secret. According to some reports, the referendum may take place on September 24 or October 1 this year.
Secret law
El País reports that it has "gained access to a secret draft of the Law on Legal Transition, also called the Severance Law." "We are talking," the newspaper notes, "about a document that will be used as an interim Catalan constitution. It will be in effect for two months, while the Catalan parliament will implement the constitutional process, which will end with the creation." parliamentary republic"Catalonia".
And here is the main quote from the secret draft, which is quoted by El País: "If the Spanish state effectively obstructs the referendum, this law will enter into force in full and immediately after the parliament (Catalonia) ascertains the existence of such an obstacle."
El País concludes that Catalonia intends to secede from Spain in any case: "with or without a referendum."
The press does not specify what the "secret draft law" means. We must assume that this is still a project that will turn into law at the right time. The fact is that the Parliament of Catalonia, in which the majority belongs to "independants" (supporters of independence), has already carried out a reform of the rules of procedure of the legislative body, which now allows the adoption of the corresponding laws on independence in the "express style", that is, in one reading. Thus, the legalization of separation from Spain will take no more than 48 hours.
Who is talking about what
Official Madrid does not want to let Catalonia go. The Spaniards have their own historical grounds: they say, Catalonia has been part of the Kingdom of Aragon since the Middle Ages, and therefore Catalonia is Spain.
The Catalans have their reasons. They emphasize historical identity. They emphasize that they speak their Catalan language, which, although it belongs to the group of Romance languages, differs markedly from Spanish. The Catalan language is a real living medium for 7.5 million people. Catalans do not forget their culture, which was raised to the world level by such prominent representatives like Salvador Dali and Antoni Gaudi.
And, of course, the economy. Catalonia with a population of 16% of general population Spain produces more than a quarter of the country's gross national product, which can be seen from the macroeconomic indicators of the last quarter of 2016.
No one but the Catalans knows what to do
But back to the skirmish between Spanish and Catalan politicians.
© AP Photo / Andre Penner
© AP Photo / Andre Penner
"They are blackmailing the state, democracy and the Spaniards. We do not accept this," said Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, commenting on the publication in El País. According to him, this is the "most serious" thing that he has seen "in his entire political career."
And this, however, is the most serious thing that happened in Spain not only during political career Rahoya. There is a dead-end situation. It threatens to spill over into the deepest internal political crisis that Spain has not seen since the civil war of 1936. And official Madrid doesn't really know what to do.
Arrest the leaders of Catalonia, such as the head of the local government, Carles Puigdemont? But how can they be punished? This has already happened and did not lead to the desired results for Madrid. Last time Catalan authorities planned to hold an independence referendum in 2014. But the Spanish Constitutional Court ruled that it was unconstitutional. To let off steam - since the Catalans were eagerly awaiting a plebiscite - the Catalan authorities, backing down, replaced the referendum with a poll of the residents of the region, thereby changing the legal side of the issue, since the poll is not binding. One way or another, in 2014 they supported complete independence Catalonia from Spain.
But even the poll was previously declared illegal by the Spanish authorities, and its organizers were punished. The High Court of Catalonia stripped former head Generalitat Artur Masa the right to hold public and elective office for two years and sentenced him to a fine. Other leaders of Catalonia were also punished similarly.
It is extremely unprofitable for the central Spanish authorities to aggravate the situation, to carry out arrests on the eve of the planned referendum. This will create a halo of martyrs for the leaders of Catalonia, and the situation may get out of control even before the referendum. Although, in fact, even now the central Spanish authorities do not really control the situation in Catalonia. After all, the Catalans intend to secede in any case - with or without a referendum.
Arresting all the criminals after the referendum is even more stupid, since the will of the majority of the population of Catalonia will be evident, and central authorities Spain will look like satraps who stifle freedom and democracy.
Only Catalans know what to do. And they do by developing a concrete plan to break with Spain. And they have an advantageous situation - as in the game of tic-tac-toe, when no matter what the opponent makes, you still win with your next move.
A word to the critics
The Spanish press writes that Catalan politicians are now competing in which of them will make the steepest turn, after which there is no return. About a dozen people are said to be working on the development of a project for the withdrawal of Catalonia from Spain. They are led by former Vice President of the Constitutional Court Carles Viver Pi-Sunyer.
Meanwhile, the Spaniards found many holes in secret project Catalan severance law. For example, it is not spelled out there who can become a citizen of Catalonia.
It is unclear which Spanish laws will continue to operate in independent Catalonia and which will automatically end. What will be the fate of the Spanish central government officials who live and work in Catalonia? What will happen to real estate and other property of the Spanish state in Catalonia?
"The authors of this draft law," writes El País, "do not take into account legislative acts and legal reality, as well as issues of gigantic importance and complexity, such as how the new republic will fit into Europe. "
Bye weapons! Hello EU?
Meanwhile, neither side needs to exacerbate the situation to the point where people start thinking about taking up arms. The Prime Minister of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont, is trying to soften the situation, however, standing his ground. Recently, he said that the referendum on the independence of Catalonia does not aim to destroy Spain, as Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy says. "Our demand fits into the constitutional framework. We are not talking about an attempt to destroy Spain, we are talking about the right of Catalonia to self-determination," said Puigdemont.
Why do Catalans, with all their fighting spirit, want to appear peaceful? They have long stated that in the event of a break with Spain, they would like to remain in the European Union.
This will be problematic in any case after separation. But in the event of armed violence, either from one side or the other, the process of Catalonia's entry into the EU as an independent member will be extremely complicated. Therefore, the "fight of two bulls" is likely to take place on a peaceful plane. Although, of course, nothing can be ruled out.
The European Union itself is watching the battle in the Iberian Peninsula with great wariness. The only official response from the European Commission to the information about a possible referendum was a warning that in case of separation from Spain, Catalonia will not be a member of the EU. In January of this year, the head of the Catalan government, Carles Puigdemont, visited the European Parliament to put the "Catalan referendum on the agenda" of European structures. But Brussels is not eager to see Catalonia independent, especially as part of the EU outside Spain.
House of cards
So far, the situation is developing in the direction where the final destination - whether Madrid and Brussels like it or not - is the separation of Catalonia from Spain. At the same time, the "Catalonia effect" can play the role of a catalyst for other regions of Europe, where separatist sentiments are active. First, for Great Britain, with its still open question of secession of Scotland. Although the UK itself is leaving the EU, and the issue of its influence on the strength of the European Union is supposedly removed from the agenda, but still ...
Secondly, the separatists in French Corsica can perk up. Third, in Italy, the League of the North is likely to become more active, which for now refuses direct demands for secession and insists on the transformation of Italy into a federation. But this is for now. Fourthly, Belgium, which in no way can solve the question of who is more important - the Flemings or the Walloons - can also fall in two. These are just some vivid examples smoldering separatist sentiments in Europe. In general, under certain circumstances, it may arise on the continent.
