BASF distance themselves from the German employers’ manifesto against independence

Barcelona (ACN).- The German multinational BASF distanced themselves from the manifesto issued on Tuesday by 60 German businesspeople, including BASF CEO in Spain, against Catalan independence. BASF stated that they “will is to continue [their] activities in Catalonia”, as “proven” by their “more than €30 million investment” made in 2013. The manifesto against independence stated it would have “dreadful consequences” on the Catalan economy. BASF replied they “did not intend to influence or intervene in political debates”, adding that they “respect the laws of the countries in which [they] operate”. “It is not the will of the company to intervene in the current debate surrounding and sparked by the manifesto called ‘Declaration of Barcelona’”, explained BASF. The German company “deeply” lamented, along with its CEO Erwin Rauhe, that the company’s name had been used in such an initiative.

BASF stressed they had been present in Catalonia for over 40 years, since they first settled in Tarragona (Southern Catalonia). They made it clear that their intention “is to continue [their] activities in Catalonia, as evidenced by [their] business and investment activities”. In more concrete terms, the multinational underlined they had invested “more than €30 million” over the past year in Catalonia.

“The dreadful consequences” of independence

Last Tuesday, the platform called ‘Catalunya sense Europa? No!’ (‘Catalonia without Europe? No!’), mostly formed of German employers and freelancers living in Catalonia, presented a manifesto against the independence of Catalonia. In the text, they warned against “the dreadful consequences” independence would have on the Catalan economy, according to them.

In addition, they linked the current Catalan process with nationalistic movements of the past century which have ended in wars and genocides, warning about “the dangers of a nationalist fervour, which in the last century, has brought immeasurable suffering to Europe and which will neither bring anything good to Catalonia”.