New Model of State

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EAJ, BNG and CiU ready to agree on new model of State

The three parties are upbeat about the change of government and believe a period of dialogue has started

Editorial Staff

“We nationalist parties, committed to the functioning of the State institutions and immersed in their functioning have come together to analyse the March 14 general elections.” These are the opening words of the declaration presented yesterday by the BNG, the CiU and the EAJ (the signatories of the Barcelona Declaration 16-07-98). They believe that the era of “imposition” is over and that of dialogue has begun. “We want to establish the foundations for a new way of understanding politics in a new model of State. That is our proposal and our commitment,” says the declaration. In order to achieve this they called on society, the institutions and the political parties to take part in the proposal.

The signatories of the Barcelona Declaration made this statement after their meeting in Madrid yesterday. In fact, they held the meeting to give their view on the Spanish parliamentary elections. Artur Mas, the CiU party chairman, and Josep Antoni Duran Lleida, the party’s general secretary, signed the declaration on behalf of the CiU; Josu Jon Imaz, National Executive Committee chairman, did so on behalf of the EAJ and Anxo Quintana, the BNG spokesman, represented his party.

In the declaration the BNG, the CiU and the EAJ say they are ready for inter-party dialogue “based on mutual respect and the absence of imposition”. They hold the view that dialogue is a necessary tool to normalise political life and to revive democratic and social coexistence. The signatories also cherish the hope that dialogue will be the main feature of this legislative period.

“We are pleased that the citizens have ended the era based on arrogance and the abuse of power by the PP, Government” says the declaration. They believe that the change in government will enable dialogue and debate to be reinstated as a way of working. Furthermore, they are of the opinion that this method will make it possible for agreements between parties to be reached.

After making an appeal for dialogue the BNG, CiU and EAJ outlined their aims for the Spanish Congress and Senate (lower and upper chambers of parliament, respectively) during the coming legislative period. There are three main points: the revival of Democracy, the achievement of which will entail the need to change policies adopted in a number of spheres during the previous legislative period; the legal and political acceptance of the nations, and the recognition of the political asymmetry or difference between the nations and regions.

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