Ramon Tremosa and David Fernàndez, a kindly face-to-face on Europe

  • The two politicians debated the question, "Should an independent Catalonia be part of the EU?" · The event was organized by the Castellers de la Vila de Gràcia

VilaWeb
Andreu Barnils
25.03.2014 - 10:42

La premsa lliure no la paga el govern, la paguen els lectors


Fes-te de VilaWeb, fem-nos lliures

The debate between Ramon Tremosa (CDC) and David Fernàndez (CUP) on Europe filled the practice hall of the human tower builders of Gràcia. More than one hundred people sat quietly and listened respectfully for an hour and a half under a very high ceiling, dozens of meters tall, perfect for building human towers. Though last night, instead of tower practice, there was a political debate. The question was whether “an independent Catalonia should be part of the EU”. Among the listeners could be found the dark glasses and seeing-eye dog of Josep Llop, the former Member of Parliament and CDC leader in Baix Llobregat (south of Barcelona). There was also a considerable contingent of women. The face-to-face, rather quiet and respectful, began just a few minutes late.

It was clear that Ramon Tremosa was looking for votes, and he left no holds barred. David Fernàndez, since the CUP has decided not to run in the European elections, simply left no holds barred. Tremosa began brilliantly with a litany of things he doesn’t like about the EU. Crushing: “Once, Mr. Cardús, after listening to me for a while said that the EU must be like the Vatican: those of you who go there come back with less faith”, “The EU has an important democratic deficit and many now recognize that Barroso has no legitimacy because no one voted for him.” Tremosa then immediately began to list the advantages of belonging to the EU: “Thanks to the EU, the Mediterranean railway will reach Algesires. I’ll remind you that Jaume I only made it to Murcia.”, “Bureaucrats in the EU? The city of Madrid has a half a million civil servants. The EU, 28,000.” “Lobbyists in Brussels? The real lobbyists are in the national parliaments. The EU doesn’t collect taxes!”, “You can be outside the Euro zone if you’re Norway. If you’re Spain—and whether you like it or not, right now we’re in Spain—it’s much better if you’re in the Euro.”

His answer to the question was Yes, an independent Catalonia should belong to the European Union.

Fernàndez, with a face weathered by the sun and nothing to lose, but also nothing to win, explained at the beginning what he likes about Europe: “It generates people who are looking for freedom from the ground up: cooperativism in France, farmers in Tuscany, or in the neighborhoods of Amsterdam”, “It was Europe who condemned the Spanish State for the torture of independentists in 1992 and who stopped the eviction of the people in Salt”. That out of the way, Fernàndez went on the attack: “In Brussels there are 14,000 lobbyists”, “The most subsidized farmer in the EU is the Duchess of Alba”, “I don’t know if the EU will recognize Catalonia. Right now, it doesn’t even recognize the Catalan language”, “This is the Europe of authority, austerity, and inequality”, “The immigrant detention centers (CIEs) are financed by the EU”, “We are disposed to pay the debt, but not the banks’ debt. First we want the debt to be audited”, “The CUP says no to this EU”.

Fernàndez also answered the question, “It’s the people who must decide whether we want to belong to the EU or not.”

Since neither Fernàndez nor Tremosa are card-carrying members of the parties they represent, party orthodoxy was somewhat muted yesterday. Everyone had good manners and at no time were there whistles directed at anyone. The event closed with applause and everyone went home as friends. And as neighbors, since Tremosa lives near Plaça Lesseps and Fernàndez near Plaça Raspall; both are from Gràcia, both played for the home team.

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La premsa lliure no la paga el govern. La paguem els lectors.

Fes-te de VilaWeb, fem-nos lliures.

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