Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,705
Following on from the non referendum and the Spanish Constitutional Court flexing its muscles (correct to throw out the law allowing Puigdemont to call an UDI wrong to declare the referendum illegal) and Rajoy & his parliament voting to suspend the Catalan regional parliament and impose direct rule this is today's instalment of our Iberian saga:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-41780116
So what now from Madrid, Catalonia, The EU?
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Captain Haddock
- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,071
It's all a bit Hungary 1956 - "rich comrades, regardless of their expressed will to be free, can never leave. It will upset the other animals on the farm"
Looking on the bright side it looks like all those people on the Left who wished that they'd had the opportunity to fight in the Spanish Civil War may finally get their chance.
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
The EU top brass showed their true colours in refusing to condemn the brutality the Spanish government ordered to be inflicted on innocent people trying to cast a vote. Beware anyone else who dares to challenge their autonomy is the message.
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Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
catalonia has now declared indipendance.
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,071
howard mcsweeney1 wrote:The EU top brass showed their true colours in refusing to condemn the brutality the Spanish government ordered to be inflicted on innocent people trying to cast a vote. .
And here's why:-
https://www.economist.com/news/europe/21730163-embracing-catalonia-holds-no-appeal-europes-leaders-eu-will-not-help-catalan
However, as Donald Tusk - EU Co-President has said minutes ago 'Spain remains our only interlocutor. I hope the Spanish government favours force of argument, not argument of force.'
Meanwhile Matt Carthy MEP states 'Good luck to #Catalonia on the peaceful route you have chosen. All of Europe must support this democratic course.'
Strangely Matt is a SinnFein MEP who wants a United Ireland! I wonder what the Spanish is for 'No Surrender'?
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
Guest 1881- Registered: 16 Oct 2016
- Posts: 1,071
Any minute now I'd expect to see David Davis on his way to secure tariff-free paella futures with the Catalan government. I hope he gets there and secures it before Boris Johnson makes the inevitable Guernica joke gaff.
Just because you don't take an interest in politics doesn't mean that politics won't take an interest in you. PERICLES.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
Guest 1881- Registered: 16 Oct 2016
- Posts: 1,071
#7 Mr Dixon, really. The Daily Mail? Source something credible please!
Just because you don't take an interest in politics doesn't mean that politics won't take an interest in you. PERICLES.
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,071
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,705
I have a number of observations on this sorry saga
1. The Spanish Constitutional Court was right to overthrow the law passed by the Catalan Parliament allowing them to declare independence as this contravenes the Spanish constitution
2. The Court was wrong to outlaw the referendum as there is nothing in the Spanish Constitution preventing regions from holding referenda on any subject
3. The ludicrous outrage from non Spaniards at the behaviour of the police, which frankly was absolutely standard normal behaviour from them in the face of protests/demonstrations deemed illegal by parliament. (The CRS behave exactly the same in France). The local Catalan police behaved in the same way a few years earlier to anti-austerity protesters in Barcelona
4. This is a Barcelona centric movement and protest, there has been little in the way of protest in the other parts of Catalonia (Girona, Lleida, Tarragona)
5. This has everything to do with Puigdemonts political aspirations and little to do with anything much else
6. This has a lot to do with economics and perceived austerity, with Catalonia, Barcelona in particular, being highly successful in comparison to the rest of Spain
7. The EU should have made representations as the Spanish government has denied Catalans rights under Article 2 of the Treaty of Lisbon, as well as Articles 10 & 11 of European Convention on Human Rights amongst others, The EU cited exactly these articles and the principles of the right to peacefully assemble and freedom of speech when berating and cautioning other EU nations
A sorry mess where no one has come out of it well so far
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
hey rev an article is a article,daily fail came up with the goods first.
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Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,071
Leanne Wood, leader of Plaid Cymru, has already called on the Welsh Assembly to recognise Catalonia. However the US says opposite so 'international opinion' would appear to be evenly split!
HMG now weighs in
though one suspects the Gibralterian view might be different?
Germany now comes out against 'plucky Catalonia'.
Presumably they don't want Bavaria getting ideas above it's station?
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,071
Jens Stoltenberg ( Secretary General of NATO) - 'Catalonia issue must be resolved within Spain's constitutional order. Spain is committed Ally, with important contributions to our security'.
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,071
First volunteer for Catelonia International Brigade seen boarding LGW - BCN.
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"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,071
What has annoyed me is the number of national commentators, who should know better, wittering on about 'Spanish civil war blah blah, it's just like Scotland blah blah, the end of the EU blah blah' etc.
History is indeed repeating itself, but as the saying goes it's first in tragedy then in farce.
'Political Asylum' in Belgium indeed! Has he ever been to Belgium? I have and I think on balance I'd prefer Assange's cupboard in the Ecuadorian Embassy. I suspect the food is better for starters.
John Buckley likes this
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
I think there is more danger of a civil war in Catalonia itself after the jailing of separatist politicians bearing in mind also that the population is split down the middle over independence.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/catalonia-spain-jail-ministers-carles-puigdemont-mariano-rajoy-court-independence-a8034261.htmlRoss Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,705
Unlikely young Mcswankey; the population appears to be split 60:40 in favour of the status quo
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,071
The caravan seems to have moved on and Catalonia is no longer top of the news.
Nevertheless, here's the Economist's take on things.
A bit of a long read but I for one found it informative since, unlike those I've overheard holding forth on these matters, in local pubs and coffee bars, I'm not an expert!
https://www.economist.com/news/europe/21730874-government-intervention-and-snap-election-have-defused-not-settled-crisis-goesRoss Miller likes this
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
John Buckley likes this"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
