Juncker urges Spain to form "stable government" amid Catalan independence crisis

Brussels (CNA).- The European Commission’s President, Jean-Claude Juncker, refused to “give an opinion on the movements in some regions and provinces”, referring to Catalonia’s push for independence, but called for Spainto form a “stable government” which is “up to” the tasks ahead. Juncker called for doing it “as quick as possible, as Spain belongs to the Eurozone”. In a similar vein, the European Parliament’s President, Martin Schulz, assured that the Catalan case would have to be “dealt with within the framework of the Constitution”. The Vice President of Flemish Nationalist party N-VA, Sander Loones, admitted that the recognition of Catalonia as an independent state “would be a very difficult moment” regarding the stability of the Belgian government, where the party participates. Te N-VA has “an agreement not to talk about institutional affairs in the upcoming years” with its coalition partners but Loones warned that the issue of self-determination is “a basic principle” of the Flemish nationalists Loones commented that the EC “missed a great opportunity” by not taking up a role as mediator in Catalonia and noted that “saying that it is a Spanish issue only is a way of making sure that nothing will move”. 

“I’d like that Spain forms a new government as quickly as possible, as it belongs to the Eurozone” stated Juncker this Friday and assured that he doesn’t intend “to interfere in its composition”. “When I give public advice, nobody pays attention” he said ironically. Juncker also refused to “give an opinion on the movements in some regions and provinces”, referring to Catalonia’s push for independence.

In a similar vein, Schulz emphasised the European institutions’ “full respect” for the Constitutions of the Member States and assured that Brussels should not get involved in the Catalan case. is not . “One basic element of the EU is not only the treaties but also the existence of the Constitutions of the Member States” stated Schulz. “I, as President of a European institution, am obliged to fully respect the Constitutions of the Member States”, stated Schulz. “It is a question you have to deal with and it must be dealt with within the framework of the Constitution, not in a debate in the European Parliament or in Brussels” he concluded.

Catalonia’s independence may bring down Belgium’s government

The Vice President of Flemish Nationalist party N-VA, Sander Loones, admitted that the recognition of Catalonia as an independent state “would be a very difficult moment” regarding the stability of the Belgian government. “We are a nationalist party and we have an agreement not to talk about institutional affairs in the upcoming years, it was a condition to be able to form this government” stated Loones in an interview with the Catalan News Agency. “The basic principle of people in Europe having the right to determine their future is hugely important for us” he said.

Regarding the role of the European institutions in the event of an independent Catalonia, Loones believes that “there is a challenge and there is a role to be played by the EC”. “It could be a great opportunity for the European Commission to take up a role as mediator and to make sure that there is an agreement reached which satisfies both Catalonia and Madrid” he stated, but admitted that it appeared that the European institutions “are not ready to take up this role, on the contrary, they are not playing out their cards, saying that it is a Spanish issue only”. According to Loones, such an argument “is a way of making sure that nothing will move” and he considers it “a missed opportunity” for the EC.

“The question is now how will European capitals react to this new reality” he stated and forecast that they “will just have to face it”. “My party is a nationalist party, for us it is a basic principle that people in Europe have the right to decide to form their own nation, so we are happy about the evolution in Catalonia. We wish the new government all the best with the negotiations” he concluded.