The LPR did not rule out recognizing the independence of Catalonia
The situation in Catalonia, where a referendum on self-determination was recently held, is partly similar to the situation in Donbass.
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This opinion was voiced during the briefing by the authorized representative of the LPR at the negotiations in Minsk, Vladislav Deinego, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“The situations are somewhat different, but, nevertheless, we experienced first-hand what the opposition of the official authorities is like against the right of a territory to expand its capabilities. Catalonia is now posing the question in much the same way as we posed it in the spring of 2014. If we had been able to agree with Kiev on a closer implementation of the rights of our citizens, then perhaps the situation would have been resolved without the events that, unfortunately, we now have to endure,” Deinego said.
He also noted the fact that in Catalonia the situation is developing somewhat differently. They are trying to reach the level of political settlement of the problem. Following the results of the referendum in Catalonia, about more than a month passed until the Catalan government was convinced that there were no reciprocal steps from Madrid. The decision to declare independence was made at a time when Madrid was discussing the application of Article 155 of the Constitution, which provides for a compulsory decision to limit the rights of local government. And it was precisely this path – the path of expanding the rights of local self-government that Catalonia followed.
“In this aspect we have a full understanding of the situation in Catalonia. The people who live there have every right to independently solve the problems that arise before them, and to their right to self-determination in the context of these problems,” the LPR plenipotentiary is convinced.
“Catalonia is a fairly powerful region in terms of economy, just as Donbass was once a fairly powerful industrial core of Ukraine. The situation is approximately the same in Catalonia. Apparently, the motivating factors were approximately similar, but implementation is carried out using different mechanisms. Unfortunately, our situation developed in such a way that, immediately after we declared our non-acceptance of the processes taking place in Kiev, in particular, the right to linguistic self-determination, cultural identity, and so on, in response to these our statements about non-acceptance of the glorification of Bandera, UPA and so on, Ukraine stated that it was ready to force us to accept this. Naturally, we began to defend our rights. Ukraine began to develop the military option here,” the politician recalled.
At the same time, he drew attention to the fact that Madrid has not yet decided to use open force, but has taken the constitutional path, which implies the dissolution of the governing bodies of Catalonia and the formation of new bodies in elections. At the same time, the Spanish authorities give the region guarantees in addressing the key issues that led to the referendum.
Deinego believes that for now the parties “are in an intermediate state.”
“Neither side sees a military solution to the conflict, although the situation at the time of the referendum was much more brutal than ours. There was obvious opposition from the authorities to holding this referendum. As you remember, here the referendum was held as a holiday. No one interfered with the expression of the will of citizens. It was different in Catalonia. At the time of the referendum there was forceful suppression. They showed their teeth, but now they are trying to return Catalonia through constitutional changes with the subsequent formation of bodies loyal to Madrid,” noted the LPR plenipotentiary.
He also dwelled on the prospects for mutual recognition of the republics of Donbass and Catalonia.
"It would be interesting. There is a subject for discussion; time will tell, but time will tell,” summed up Deinego.
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