Det Udenrigspolitiske Nævn 2017-18
UPN Alm.del Bilag 2
Offentligt
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SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE GOVERNMENT
1 OCTOBER 2017
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I wanted to talk to all of you tonight as President of the
Government of Spain.
A great nation, one of the oldest in Europe and one of the
most
developed
in
the
world;
a
mature,
advanced
democracy, friendly and tolerant, but also strong and
determined, which constitutes a State under the rule of
law, guaranteed for all. Our nation.
I have always believed that my main obligation, as
President of the Government, is to abide by the law and to
enforce the law. To protect and guarantee democracy. But
also to protect social harmony and seek consensus. To be
the President of the Government of every Spaniard—of
those who voted for me, and of those who never will. This
is what I have always done. And
this is what I want to
talk to you about this evening.
At this time I can tell you emphatically what we have seen
throughout the course of the day: Today, there has been
no referendum on self-determination in Catalonia.
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Today, every Spaniard has been able to see that
our
democratic State under rule of law maintains its
strength and validity.
That it responds to those who defy
it. That it reacts to those who would subvert it. That it acts
with every legal recourse available in the face of any kind
of provocation. And that it does this efficiently and calmly.
Today, what we have seen is not some kind of consultation;
rather, it was just a show. One more episode in a strategy
attacking democratic harmony and legality.
An episode disconnected from reality and from the majority
of society, and which therefore has been an unmitigated
failure.
With this irresponsible political strategy, the secessionists
have tried to steal the voice of those who think differently
from them. They have violated the most fundamental rights
and
gone beyond the most basic limits of democratic
decorum.
We could clearly see this in the plenary session
of
the
Parlament
[Catalan
Parliament]
of
6
and
7
September, when in just a few hours they wanted to wipe
out the Spanish Constitution and the
Estatut
[Statutes of
Catalonia] with a single stroke of a pen, at the same time
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as they were liquidating the democratic rights of every
member of the opposition.
To claim that the arbitrary actions and abuses that we have
seen since then could pass for democratic exercises is to
make a mockery of the very essence of democracy.
We have seen conduct and attitudes that are repulsive to
anyone who believes in democracy and should ever never
be repeated again: indoctrination of children, harassment
of judges and intimidation of journalists, to give just a few
examples.
I want to make it crystal clear that those responsible for
these events—for those that have occurred today and for
those that have brought us to this point—are solely and
exclusively
those who have promoted the violation of
the law and the breakdown of social harmony.
Foremost in my thoughts are the many, many Catalans who
have been fooled when they were called to participate in a
mobilization
without
any
that
kind
was
of
illegal,
logistically
I
chaotic,
and
the
guarantees.
understand
frustration that they might feel today, and I am sincerely
saddened by it. But I am also telling them that the way to
debate their political demands can never be to break the
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law or to impose on others, but rather, to engage in a loyal
dialogue in which everyone can be heard and understood.
I want to affirm before all of Spain that the vast majority of
the people of Catalonia
have not wanted to play along
with the script written by the secessionists.
This is
indisputable. Today, the vast majority of Catalans have
shown that they are law-abiding people, in the noblest
sense of that expression. Without noise and without fuss,
they have ignored the call to the polls, and in doing so they
knew that they were taking the side of democracy, the side
in favour of social harmony.
I would like to thank them most especially. They have
shown signs of great civic responsibility and of the utmost
respect for the principles that underpin our society. They
have been able to resist the onslaught of the worse kind of
populist practices.
They need to know that all Spaniards appreciate their
attitude. With a stance of respect for peaceful and legal
coexistence, together we have built and will continue to
build a nation that has been able to construct a
full-
fledged democracy
and
wellbeing and progress.
a common
commitment to
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Throughout our long shared history, we Spaniards have
been
capable
of
overcoming
our
most
painful
differences, as well as what seemed to be our most
insurmountable difficulties.
We have been an example
for the entire world due to our capacity to believe in
ourselves and to make progress with every step. And that
is also true today.
The Government has maintained at every moment that this
referendum was not going to be held.
And this has been
known for months to those who have promoted this
act of defiance. They admitted as much this week.
They recognised it with absolute clarity yesterday.
And today, they have confirmed it.
They knew that the referendum was illegal, inadmissible,
and impossible. But they decided to go ahead, and to
promote a
veritable attack on the rule of law and our
democratic model.
A conscious, premeditated attack, to which
the State has
reacted firmly and calmly:
the referendum that aimed to
wipe out the Spanish Constitution has not existed.
It has been avoided with the foundation of the law, with the
support of those who believe in democracy, with the
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determination of the courts, and with the actions of the
State security forces.
Here, I would like to thank the political parties that have
shown
their
loyalty
to
the
State
in
these
difficult
circumstances; to thank the judges and prosecutors who
have applied the law without fear of the harassment that
has targeted them; to thank the State security forces and
municipal police. They have done their duty, and fulfilled
the mandate they received from the courts. It would have
been easier for all of them to look the other way as such a
serious attack on our legal system was perpetrated—but
they did not. They have all
responded loyally, with a
commitment to democracy and to the rule of law.
I would also like to highlight and express gratitude for the
unfailing support of the European Union and the entire
international community which, at all times, has understood
that what was at stake here was the validity of our
constitutional system.
And I want everyone to know that
we have done what
we had to do. We have done our duty.
We have acted,
as I said at the beginning,
under the law and solely
under the law.
And we have shown that our democratic
State has the resources to defend itself against an attack as
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serious as the one that this illegal referendum has tried to
perpetrate.
Today, democracy has prevailed because the Constitution
has been fulfilled.
From
the
beginning
of
this
senseless
process,
and
throughout today, we have seen how some have
tried to
circumvent the law, breaking the bonds of social
harmony, and the limits of public order.
But what they have faced instead is the
calm and
common sense of those who know that their rights
and freedoms are protected by the legislation in
force, guaranteed by the courts, and backed by the
rule of law.
Today, we all have reasons to trust democracy. We have
seen the failure of a process that has only served to sow
division, turn people against each other, incite disorder in
the streets, and provoke undesired situations. It has only
served to cause grave harm to social harmony—something
that we must begin to get back as soon as we can.
I am saying this loud and clear. I am not going to
close a single door.
I have never done so. That is not my
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way of engaging in politics. I have always offered honest,
sincere dialogue. But always within the law, and always
within the framework of democracy.
Social harmony in Spain has always been based on
agreements. And it must continue to be so.
I will not
allow the commitment to concord
of the last forty years
to be replaced by
a handful of people blackmailing an
entire nation.
They have had
many opportunities
to desist from their
illegal endeavour. And they have not wanted to. We have
asked them
many times
to correct their course. And they
have not listened. They had
every reason
to rectify the
error of their ways. And they did not want to do that.
I hope that they do so now. And that they do not insist on
repeating their mistakes. That they refuse to take another
step
down a road that, as has been made manifest
today, leads nowhere.
Tomorrow, we must begin to re-establish institutional
normalcy. We are going to do it, as always,
firmly and
calmly. And also, in a spirit of unity.
Therefore, I would
like to continue to count on the support of the parties that
defend our constitutional foundations.
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Therefore, I intend to
convoke all of the political parties
with
representation
in
Parliament
to
reflect,
together,
on the future that we want to face, together.
Furthermore, first thing tomorrow I will ask to
appear
before the Congress of Deputies.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
If there is something that I should highlight from this day,
it is the confirmation of the strength of Spanish democracy,
the effectiveness of our institutions, the loyalty of our
public servants, and the unity and responsibility shown by
the vast majority of our citizens.
These
are
very
solid
foundations
for
Spaniards—and
therefore for all Catalans—after all these centuries, to
continue united on the path of freedom, justice, progress,
and living together in democracy.
Good night, and thank you very much.
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