Catalan People's Republic. Start

This week, the regional parliament of Catalonia, formed following the results of early parliamentary elections at the end of September, began work. They were won by a coalition of parties and movements advocating the separation of the region from Spain.

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The “Together for!” bloc, consisting of the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia, the Republican Left and a number of other parties, took first place, receiving almost 40% of the vote and 62 parliamentary seats out of 135.

On Monday they elected Carme Forcadell to the post of speaker, and on Tuesday they presented a draft resolution containing a step-by-step plan for creating an independent state.

This document was the result of an agreement between the “Together FOR!” bloc. and the radical left party “Candidates for National Unity”, which also takes separatist positions and received 10 parliamentary seats.

Initially, the separatists generally planned to declare independence unilaterally, but, following the results of the elections, which de facto became a referendum, they considered that the majority of votes they received was still not overwhelming, and began to implement “Plan B.”

Rally of Catalan separatists

Perhaps it's not just the election results, but also the stern warning that was sounded at the party congress of right-wing European bureaucrats held recently in Madrid. It was stated there, that if Catalonia, or any other region, declares its independence, it will automatically be excluded from the European Union.

However, not all European officials are so harsh towards the Catalans. Recently, journalists asked French Prime Minister Manuel Valls what he thought about the fate of the iconic Barcelona football club if the separatists get their way. In response, Valls, himself a native of Barcelona and a longtime fan of the Pomegranates, said that the club would certainly be able to compete in the French Championship, as the famous club from the independent principality of Monaco plays in it.

But it seems that, just as the Donetsk people sacrificed the Eurofootball successes of their beloved Shakhtar for the sake of independence, football will not become an obstacle in the fight for the Catalans. And although the resolution of the European People's Party could somewhat cool their ardor, it failed to shake their determination to achieve independence.

March for Catalan independence

We present the text of the document adopted yesterday in its entirety, since even in the world's leading media you can only find small excerpts from it. I think that these points will be useful to many in Ukraine:

"Parliament of Catalonia:

1. interprets the results of the elections in Catalonia on September 27 as a mandate to begin the process of transition to independence.
2. Announces the beginning of the process to create an independent Catalan state organized as a Republic.
3. Initiates the constitutional process, including citizen participation in the drafting of a constitution for an independent Catalonia.
4. Urges the new Government of Catalonia to take action to implement this declaration.
5. Begins within thirty days the preparation of laws to ensure the constituent process, ensure public safety and regulate the sphere of public finances.
6. Declares that this process of independence is no longer dependent on decisions made by Spanish institutions, including the incompetent Constitutional Court, which has lost its legitimacy since it ruled against the Statute of Autonomy in 2010.
7. Takes the necessary measures to ensure a democratic, sustainable and peaceful break with Spain.
8. Urges the future government of Catalonia to respect the policies and regulations of the Catalan Parliament.
9. Declares the will to begin negotiations to implement this democratic mandate for the creation of an independent Catalan state, and communicates this to the Spanish authorities, the European Union and the international community in this declaration.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has already responded to the actions of the Catalans. “This initiative cannot be qualified otherwise than as a provocation, as an attempt to circumvent the law. This is exactly the case. And these people know that the law is not on their side. The government that I lead will ensure that they will not be able to achieve any of their goals,” he said.

Rafael Hernando, a member of the Popular Party faction in the Spanish parliament, said: “This is nonsense! It is absurd that we should follow Arthur Mas and his partners." In an interview with Spanish public television, he accused the head of the Catalan government of making a deal with “extreme radicals” who put forward “an absolutely crazy idea of ​​Catalonia.”

How can one not recall Ukrainian politicians with their incantations about “fake Novorossiya”? The head of the Catalan branch of the ruling People's Party, Alicia Sanchez-Comacho, is also pushing the case, calling representatives of the Candidates for Popular Unity party enemies of the establishment and “pro-Chavez radicals” who want to “liquidate private property and destroy the constitutional order in Spain.”

By the way, the People's Party, which all these gentlemen represent, suffered a crushing defeat in the local elections in Catalonia. Influential supporters of Spanish unity here are representatives of the Citizens party, which came second in the regional elections, receiving 17% of the vote.

A year ago, a referendum on independence was already scheduled in Catalonia. It was declared illegal, and then the head of the Catalan government and separatist leader Artur Mas announced that instead, a consultative survey of citizens about their attitude towards the idea of ​​independence would be held. About a third of voters attended this impromptu plebiscite, 80% of whom were in favor of independence.

After this, law enforcement agencies charged Mas with four counts: insubordination, malfeasance, illegal expenditure of public funds and abuse of authority.

Catalonia is the richest and most developed of the Spanish provinces, and differs from other regions in cultural and linguistic terms. In the context of an economic crisis, residents of the province are dissatisfied with the austerity measures that the European Union is imposing on the entire country through Madrid, as well as with the way taxes are distributed between the central and local budgets. Unlike other regions of Europe, such as Flanders or Lobardy, the driving force behind the protest here is not right-wing nationalists, but left-wing forces.

Now it remains to understand how far both sides are ready to go along the path of confrontation, and who will be the first to resort to using force.