EU should promote debate on Catalonia, says MEP

The Lithuanian MEP Petras Austrevicius stated that the European parliament should promote “more debate and political dialogue” on the current political situation in Catalonia, since "only dialogue will lead to full agreement." 

He also stressed that "if people believe and have willpower, independence will be achieved, sooner or later." "I wish for Catalonia and for the people of people of Catalonia not to lose hope," noted Austrevicius, from the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) parliamentary group.

In an interview with the Catalan News Agency (ACN), the Lithuanian MEP recalled that it took 10 years for his country to “break down the Soviet wall” and achieve independence from the Soviet Union. It then took ten more years before Lithuania joined the European Union. "Countries, large or small, should never give up on their hope for independence and sovereignty," he said. Still, the Lithuanian MEP pointed out that the ways to achieve independence “are different” in each country, as “the world has changed”.