In a few weeks, we will see the birth of an independent Kosovo, with the support of the EU and the USA. Interestingly enough, Spain happens to be one of the few EU countries which strongly opposes this.
I am the first to agree that many culturally strong regions can not flourish within today’s national borders. However, the solution I favour is a stronger role of the regions within the EU, rather than a bigger and bigger number of small nation states.
In Spain, Kosovo’s coming independence will for sure re-ignite the debate about Catalonia’s future status. There might exist a silent minority againt independence, as some politicians claim, but I am not sure any longer. What I do know, however, is that compared with former Yugoslavia on the one hand, and Basque Country ETA’s violent separatism, on the other, Catalans can pride themselves for peaceful and democratic methods. Visca Catalunya!
4 comments:
I'm still sitting on the fence as to whether I support Catalan independence but you're right, there's no place for extremism.
And in the case of the (most extreme) Basque separatistas, killing people has certainly turned Spanish and world opinion against them.
God jul from Melbourne!
God Jul to you as well!
The coming March elections will give us an indication to what Catalans themselves think about independence.
As I see it, Zapatero has not played his cards well here lately (the AVE/rodalies scandals) and has thus provoked the Catalan nationalism.
I agree with Erik! (though late...) I've lived here for only 6 years, and lots of people that didn't at all eager for independence 7 years ago or so, are now becoming quite fed up! I mean, how can anybody understand that there isn't a quick train between to major cities in the same country, but there is one since -92 between Madrid and Sevilla???? And that a village close to Barcelona, that i have visited today, 25 minutes away from barcelona, only has a train connecition every second hour??? And millions of other things, as I see it, the stronger nationalism started during aznar, but has then continued...
Thanks Monika,
Late comments are better than no comments.
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