26.04.2014 - 18:22
The Liberal International has expressed its support for a referendum so that Catalans can express their will on Catalonia’s political future. The text, approved this afternoon during the group’s 59th Congress held in Rotterdam (Netherlands), expressed concern about the lack of real dialogue between the Spanish and Catalan governments, supports any decision that the people of Catalonia make about its future, and indicates that the negotiated agreement between Scotland and the United Kingdom is the best model for solving the Catalan case. The group also underscored that any negotiation between the two governments doesn’t necessarily imply in any case that the people of Catalonia give up their democratically-expressed right to decide, and demands that the European Union be flexible and strong enough at the same time in order to offer a viable alternative to the European peoples that wish to express themselves.
More than 75 parties and groups in 64 countries participated in the Liberal International’s Congress, and selected a new president, as the outgoing Hans Van Balen from the Netherlands was succeeded by Andorran Juli Minoves. The Catalan Representation was made up of the Fundació Llibertat i Democràcia (Foundation for Freedom and Democracy), which is tied to Convergència Democràtica, and which is headed by the vice president of the Liberal International and Member of the Spanish Congress and which was joined last night by the president of the Catalan Government and CDC, Artur Mas. Other members of the representation included Marc Guerrero, the vice president of the European Democratic Liberal Party and Roger Albinyana as a member of the CDC national board.
President Mas attended the Congress’ gala dinner, sharing a table with Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of the Netherlands who was in charge of offering the opening
remarks at the dinner, as well as Sigmundur Gunnlaugsoon, Prime Minister of Iceland, Guy Verhofstadt, president of the Liberal Democrat group of the European Parliament and candidate for the presidency of the European Commission, Slobodan Petriovic, Prime Minister of Kosovo, Mohamed Laenser, Morocco’s Minister of Urban planning and Territory, and Chafik Rachadi, vice president of the Parliament of Morocco, among others.
Support for the referendum and a democratic, negotiated solution to the Catalan process is included in the presentation “The World Today”. The Catalan proposal was approved without any opposition. President Artur Mas congratulated those responsible for the initiative, and underscored “the support of our partners in the liberal, democratic, reformist parties throughout the world” that show that they understand everywhere that the civilized way of resolving conflicts is by voting”. “The majority of the people of Catalonia propose a sensible and peaceful system, and that is why so many people and organizations from all different origins agree that the plan that we’re proposing in Catalonia is relevant and sensible,” affirmed the president.
“In this process, we are well accompanied by many people outside Catalonia who don’t understand how a people that has expressed its desire to vote in the November 2012 elections, and in massive demonstrations each September 11th, and daily in many different ways can be blocked from doing so: we want to vote and we will vote. Practically everyone understands it,” added Artur Mas. The president highlighted the “important work that Hans Van Balen has carried out at the helm of the LI in the promotion around the world of values of liberty, democracy, human rights, the free market, and solidarity,” and also “because of its comprehension, and deep friendship toward Catalonia and its cause that, as president Companys said, is also the cause of liberty.” To that extent, Artur Mas said that “with Juli Minoves this group of values is in the best hands possible”.
The text approved by the 59th Congress of the Liberal International says:
“Liberal International expresses concern over the lack of real dialogue between the Government of Catalonia and the Government of Spain to discuss a negotiated road-map over the future of Catalonia. Liberal International will support any decision taken by the Catalan people to decide their own future. The democratic model set by the Government of the United Kingdom and the Government of Scotland, where an agreement was reach between the two governments to hold a Referendum to decide the political future of the Scottish people, should be used as a positive example in the discussions between the Governments of Catalonia and the Government of Spain.
“Nevertheless, any potential or future discussions between the two governments should never imply the renunciation of the right of the Catalan people to decide their own future, granting that this is always set up through democratic means. The European Union has to be flexible and strong to offer a viable alternative for those peoples that want to democratically express themselves within it.”
The Liberal International, founded in Oxford (UK) in 1947, gathers more than 109 reformist and liberal-democrat parties and groups from 82 countries around the world. The principles that they are guided by are the defense of human rights, free and democratic multiparty elections, social justice, tolerance, social market economy, free commerce, environmental sustainability and a strong sense of international solidarity. From 1975, the Catalan representative has been the Fundació Llibertat i Democràcia, founded by Ramon Trias Fargas and currently linked to Convergència Democràtica de Catalunya.
