Udenrigsudvalget 2017-18
URU Alm.del Bilag 6
Offentligt
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CATALONIA 1/10/17
Today, the necessary measures have been taken to prevent the holding of an
illegal self-determination referendum
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, which according to reiterated
Constitutional Court’s decisions, is unlawful and openly contrary to the
fundamental Spanish legal framework.
Articles 1 and 2 of the Spanish Constitution
of 1978 enshrine the principles of
national sovereignty,
which resides in the Spanish
people as a whole, and of
national unity,
as is the case in the fundamental norms of
all advanced democracies.
ON EVENTS OCURRED ON OCTOBER 1
ST
2017
The
Judiciary and the Public Prosecutor’s
Office have taken measures against
the authorities and actions that may have contributed to the organisation
and implementation of this referendum,
within the framework of judicial process.
Despite the aforementioned Constitutional Court decisions,
on 6 and 7 September
2017, the Catalan Regional Parliament approved two Acts: the Self-
Determination Referendum Act and the Act on Legal Transition and the
Founding of the Republic of Catalonia.
This legislation openly contravenes the
Constitution and Catalonia’s Statute of Autonomy
itself. Both laws were passed openly
ignoring the legal procedures and disregarding its own parliamentary advisory bodies.
On this basis, the President of the Generalitat (the regional Government of Catalonia)
signed a decree convening a referendum on self-determination on 1
st
October and
launched a series of actions for it to take effect.
Both the above-mentioned laws
and this subsequent decree were suspended by the Constitutional Court,
which reiterated its warnings to all public authorities concerned of its duty to
“prevent
or paralyse any initiative aimed at ignoring or evading the
suspension that has been ordered”.
Today, the State Security forces, following orders from the judiciary, have acted
prudently, appropriately and proportionately,
in order to ensure compliance with
the law and to protect the rights and freedoms of all citizens.
Moreover, the
actions taken in response have been motivated not only by the manifest illegality of the
intended referendum, but also by the
absolute lack of respect for the basic
democratic standards required of any such consultation, the first being that
it should be situated within the bounds of democratic legality. It lacks the
The purported exercise of an alleged right of self-determination by a part of the territory is not allowed
under the Spanish Constitution, as it is not allowed either in the Constitution by neighbouring countries.
International law does not allow unilaterally invoking this principle in the case of Catalonia, nor for any
territory of EU member states, given that absolutely none of the conditions that justify it are met.
This purported consultation tramples on the fundamental principles of freedom, democracy, the rule of
law and territorial integrity, all of which are the basis of any advanced democracy and are enshrined as
fundamental values of the European Union Treaties.
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Measures have also been taken against
threats, aspersions and harassment
suffered by politicians, public officials, common citizens and even media, who have
recently been subjected to pressure for refusing to participate in this illegal process,
which includes the unacceptable use of schools and minors to promote the
purported consultation.
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URU, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 6: Henvendelse af 3. oktober 2017 fra Spaniens ambassade vedr. situationen i Catalonien
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most elementary guarantees,
under Spanish national law and the regional
legislation applicable in Catalonia. Moreover, it clashes with international standards and
norms, in particular those expressed by the
Venice Commission
(Council of Europe).
Therefore,
in the context described and regarding any events that might be
claimed to represent a vote, it should be noted this process has no validity
whatsoever.
There is no independent electoral administration, nor is there a valid
census, which has permitted the multiple vote; the electoral commissions have been
established by secessionist volunteers; the polling stations could not be established;
the institutions supposedly responsible for ensuring the neutrality of the process and
for conducting the scrutiny has been concealed until the very day scheduled for the
vote, which precludes any semblance of neutrality and impartiality; in fact, supposedly
key facts for the voting, have been modified 45 minutes before its beginning.
The vast majority of Catalans have not wanted to participate in this illegal
travesty.
The mass demonstrations called for and promoted by the secessionists are
not supported by any of the groups of the broad opposition, or by the vast majority of
Catalan society, which has preferred to demonstrate its
civic-mindedness and its
respect for democracy
by not taking part in this purported consultation -which
constitutes a democratic fraud and tramples on the rights of citizens- because they
disagree. Those who have instigated this process have attributed to themselves the
representation of all Catalans,
ignoring the plurality of Catalan society,
in an anti-
democratic and partisan misuse of their responsibility. Moreover, they have abused the
good faith of those who support their initiative, generating not only fracture, but also
frustration. They have also used this call for mass mobilisation in order to manifest their
most radical and anti-system postures.
The preventive actions undertaken have not been directed against
citizens’
or their ideas, nor their freedom of expression or of demonstration.
The full
respect for these freedoms is manifest in the various gatherings that have taken place,
with total normality, in different parts of Catalonia and in the information that the
media has provided about these events. The actions taken are merely intended to
prevent the consultation from taking place, following the organisers’ non-
compliance with legality and judicial decisions, and to ensure the safety of
all.
Spain is a consolidated democracy,
governed by the rule of law, seeking always to
defend the rights and freedoms of its citizens, applying all democratic safeguards.
Under the current Constitution, voted in 1978, Spain has enjoyed the longest
period of concord, economic growth and well-being in its History. Catalonia
has participated in all of it,
as a rich and prosperous region which enjoys, within a
largely decentralized State, of a high degree of political autonomy and self-government.
In Spain, no-one is persecuted for his or her ideas. Any political aspiration
can be expressed and harnessed through legal channels.
As a matter of fact,
our Constitution allows for the reform of its most fundamentals principles, including
those of sovereignty and unity, subject, however, to a procedure with guarantees and
qualified majorities that the secessionists have openly and deliberately ignored.
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Messages
URU, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 6: Henvendelse af 3. oktober 2017 fra Spaniens ambassade vedr. situationen i Catalonien
No consolidated democracy can accept a challenge to its constitutional order
and territorial integrity
that seeks to impose through force a project of rupture.
An
international community where the rule of law prevails cannot accept the
anti-democratic contempt of a few,
who ignore the rights of others and who wish
to
unilaterally subvert the principles and values which found the democratic
coexistence in an advanced society.
What happened today lacks any validity whatsoever.
The fact that the self-
determination referendum has been
declared illegal
by the courts, and that it
totally
lacks any democratic guarantees,
denies any value to any actions that might be
claimed to represent a vote, asides from being
contrary to the Law and an attack
upon the very basis of our coexistence framework.
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