Cross-party letter to Spanish government whose actions in Catalonia are violating democracy
Politicians from across Scotland’s constitutional divide have united to send a message to the Spanish government that its actions in Catalonia are violating the “the norms of European democracy”.
In a letter (below) put together by Ross Greer and signed by MSPs from the Greens, Labour, SNP and Lib Dems, the politicians say that the escalation of tensions over the proposed independence referendum, to be held on 1 October, can only be resolved through political action, dialogue and by allowing the people to “express their will democratically”.
Ross Greer MSP, the Scottish Greens’ external affairs spokesperson, said:
“As MSPs we represent a spectrum of opinions on Scotland’s own constitutional debate and it’s certainly not for us to tell the Catalan people what choices they should make. As democrats and parliamentarians however, we must defend the right of peoples across the world to decide their own future and the right of elected representatives to carry out their duties to the people without fear of arrest.
“To see a state at the heart of Europe take such oppressive actions against its own people is simply unacceptable. The UK and Spain may be different places with different constitutional traditions but in Scotland we have proven that such significant questions can be answered through peaceful debate and dialogue. The Spanish government must try to find a political solution to this situation. The alternative, of arresting government staff & senior officials, raiding the offices of newspapers and political parties and deploying an increasingly militarised police against a democratic movement of citizens, is a dark road to go down.”
The Most Excellent Mariano Rajoy Brey
President of the Government of the Kingdom of Spain
Palacio de la Moncloa
Madrid
22 September 2017
Dear Prime Minister Rajoy
Catalonia
As elected Members of the Scottish Parliament, we are writing to express our grave concern at the escalating actions of the Spanish state in Catalonia. We come from a range of political traditions, with differing views on Scotland’s constitutional future and a collective neutrality on the question being posed to the Catalan people but we are united in our belief in democracy.
The Spanish government claim to be acting in defence of democracy but threats of legal action against hundreds of democratically elected representatives and repressive acts against an elected government, media organisations and citizens are in no way democratic acts. The recent arrest of a Catalan government minister and a number of government staff was a particular violation of the norms of European democracy.
The situation in Catalonia is a political challenge and it can only be adequately resolved through political action, through dialogue and through allowing the people to express their will democratically. Legal action against the Catalan government, several hundred local mayors and others perceived to be facilitating the referendum is no way for a democratic European state to act against its own people.
We call on you and your government to engage with the Catalan government as partners in facilitating a democratic and just resolution to this situation. Work together to allow the people to decide their own future. This is the only sustainable and truly democratic solution.
Yours,
Claudia Beamish MSP – Labour
Alex Cole-Hamilton – Liberal Democrat
Linda Fabiani MSP - SNP
Neil Findlay MSP - Labour
John Finnie MSP – Green
Kate Forbes MSP – SNP
Mairi Gougeon MSP - SNP
Ross Greer MSP – Green
Patrick Harvie MSP – Green (co-convenor)
Clre Haughey MSP - SNP
Alison Johnstone MSP - Green
Ruth MaGuire MSP - SNP
Gillian Martin MSP – SNP
Christina McKelvie MSP - SNP
Stuart McMillan MSP - SNP
Pauline McNeil MSP – Labour
Willie Rennie MSP – Liberal Democrat (leader)
Sandra White MSP – SNP
CC:
Ricardo Martínez VázquezConsul General of the Kingdom of Spain to Scotland
Carlos Bastarreche, Spanish Ambassador to the United Kingdom
Carles Puigdemont, President of the Generalitat of Catalonia
Carme Forcadell, Speaker of the Parliament of Catalonia