Ansip and Paet get letter from Catalonia

Illustration: Pm

Parallel to Catalonia’s decision to hold a referendum, on November 9^th, regarding independence of the autonomous community, the Barcelona-Madrid tussle is heating up in international lobbies.

On December 20^th, a letter was sent by Catalan president Artur Mas to all governmental leaders in EU starting with David Cameron and Angela Merkel and ending with Andrus Ansip and Jyrki Katainen. In the letter, Mr Mas introduces the Catalan plan for referendum, as well as the legal basis of the endeavour denounced as unlawful by Madrid.

«I’m convinced that I may hope on your support for a peaceful, democratic, transparent and European process, for which stand both I and a vast majority of the Catalan people,» wrote Mas.

«Contrary to claims in some reports, there are a large number of legal and constitutional options allowing the said referendum to be held in Catalonia,» noted the letter. «We have identified at least five versions, and of these I have also written to the government of Spain.»

As confirmed by government media adviser Helin Vaher, the letter by Mr Mas was received by Mr Ansip, on December 20^th. «The information contained in the letter was apprised by Prime Minister,» noted Ms Vaher. «In his earlier comments, the Prime Minister has said that Spain is a sovereign state based on the rule of law and Estonia should not intervene in domestic affairs of Spain.»

Also, Barcelona sent a 2 page memo regarding the referendum, to foreign ministries of 45 countries, including Estonia. In it, it is stated that at the 2012 local elections supporters of referendum gained 107 of 135 seats available at the local council, and according the latest polls 82 per cent of inhabitants stand for the referendum.

«The mood among the people was again demonstrated on September 11^th 2013, as 1.5 million citizens joined hands for Via Catalana (the Catalan Chain), a large and peaceful expression of popular will in support of the referendum – like the three Baltic States in the year 1990,» reads the memo. «The political leadership of Catalonia has responded to the desire so expressed and will have to carry out the will of the people.»

On behalf of the foreign ministry, the memo was commented by press secretary Mariann Sudakov: «The information contained in the letter has been apprised by Ministry of Foreign Affairs.»

While representatives of Estonia have remained tongue-tied on the Catalan issue, a somewhat greater openness was shown towards the hypothetical recognition of Catalan independence, after the Catalan Chain, by Latvian Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis and his Lithuanian counterpart Algirdas Butkevičius. Promptly, ambassadors of both were called on the carpet, followed by swift backtracking declarations by the two prime ministers.

The referendum is supported by six important Catalan parties, from Christian democrats to extreme leftists. The same level of unity is evident among the Spanish-speaking parties: both the Popular Party (in power) and soc dems being convinced the referendum is out of question.

On December 29^th, Spanish foreign ministry sent a 200 page report into its embassies and consulates, for internal use. In it, diplomats are advised how to counter the Catalan referendum and independence. «As stated in the document, independence would definitely lead to economic decline of Catalonia and would equal an end to the Catalan destiny in Europe,» the Catalan news portal CNA summarised the material.

According to this week’s poll published by the national Spanish daily El Mundo, 64.2 per cent of Spanish citizens are «against» independence initiative by Catalonia, with 12.3 per cent «for».

In a manner not too veiled, King Juan Carlos also spoke against the Catalan independence in his Christmas address. Even so, this year message by the monarch failed to reach Catalonia, as employees of its public TV3 television channel held a half-hour strike, against budget cuts, at the very time the speech was being transmitted.