tremosa

European politicians spoke out against Spain’s disregard for “democracy and human rights”

MEPs from different EU parties condemn action of Spanish police against Catalan executive, though European Commission declines to comment

Former president Artur Mas, MEP Ramon Tremosa and Princeton political science professor Carles Boix discuss the October 1 vote in English ‘to inform Catalonia’s community of foreigners’

Catalan MEPs asked the new president of the European Parliament, the European People’s Party’s Antonio Tajani, to maintain his promise and make it possible for them to speak Catalan in the plenary. During the electoral campaign for the chamber presidency, Tajani said that he would use all his power to allow Catalan to be used in parliament “as soon as possible” if he receives a petition “from the national authorities”. In a letter written in this language, the Italian added that he would put “no obstacles” to introducing Catalan. His Catalan promise came after the socialist candidate, Gianni Pittella, the ECR candidate, Helga Stevens, and the Greens/EFA candidate, Jean Lambert, also promised to allow the use of Catalan in the European Parliament.