Turning a blind eye to Spanish shame

“The arrest of the Catalan government leader Carles Puigdemont in Germany is a new low in the treatment of peaceful politicians by the Spanish state.” The N-VA touches a nerve after the new escalations in the Catalan-Spanish conflict. The N-VA groups in the federal, Flemish and European Parliament expect Europe to send a clear message. On Sunday about 150 Catalans and Flemish people protested in Brussels against the imprisonment of Catalan politicians.

Dialogue versus repression

At the end of last week, the Spanish government in Madrid accelerated matters by once again issuing arrest warrants against Catalan politicians, among them Catalan presidential candidate Jordi Turull. The N-VA is strict on Madrid power politics: “Earlier, the Flemish Parliament has already condemned the violence during the referendum. It is unacceptable that Spain continues to aim at repression instead of dialogue.”

Political liquidation

As far as the N-VA is concerned, Spain can hardly be called a fully-fledged democracy any more. “Such a political liquidation is a total failure to recognise Catalan democracy and is unworthy of a European Member State,” the N-VA states, also pointing out the Catalan politicians in exile. “They only wished to achieve self-determination in a democratic way.”

Democrats must speak

Europe, especially the EVP group in the European Parliament, must call Spain to account, MEP Mark Demesmaeker believes. “When will the European Commission act against this repression by a European Member State? The way they slavishly follow the EVP friends of Rajoy is revolting. Are there any democrats left in the EVP? If so, let them speak up now,” Mark Demesmaeker concludes.