It did not come as a surprise.
The Spanish Parliament said no to the proposal by Basque Prime Minister to amend the political relationship between the Basque Autonomous Community and Spain.
After a while you learn not to expect much from people clinging to past glories.
Ibarretxe knew that, the Basques knew it also, but this was a magnificent chance to demonstrate to the entire world that the Basques do want a larger amount of freedom and most important of all, they are willing to negotiate, they are comfortable pursuing this dream through democratic institutions.
We have all that hoopla about how the Iraquis went out there and voted, even with the threat of violence by the terrorists.
Yet, when the Basques democratically elect a Prime Minister that promised to propose a new political pact with Madrid, and when that Basque leader actually delivers what he promises peacefully and withing the frame of the law, everyone looks the other way, and some cowards even blemish the will of the majority of Basques with wild accusations that this whole thing demonstrates that there is no moderates among the Basques, that they are only playing the good cop bad cop routine in conjunction with ETA.
Well, today Ibarretxe defended the will of the Basques, he did it with passion, with determination and with intelligence.
It was up to Rajoy to show the true colors of his colleagues at the PP when he said that "the referendum will not be valid even if the 100% of the Basques support it". Some extrange way to perceive democracy I would say.
And Rodriguez Zapatero, who at least has been decent enough to allow the dialogue as opposed to what a Prime Minister puppet to Aznar's designs would have done in the same situation, candidly indicated that "the future of the Basques will be decided by all the Basques, and all the Spaniards". Sure, just like the English decided the independence of the USA and the Portuguese the independence of Brazil.
The Spanish Parliament said no to the proposal by Basque Prime Minister to amend the political relationship between the Basque Autonomous Community and Spain.
After a while you learn not to expect much from people clinging to past glories.
Ibarretxe knew that, the Basques knew it also, but this was a magnificent chance to demonstrate to the entire world that the Basques do want a larger amount of freedom and most important of all, they are willing to negotiate, they are comfortable pursuing this dream through democratic institutions.
We have all that hoopla about how the Iraquis went out there and voted, even with the threat of violence by the terrorists.
Yet, when the Basques democratically elect a Prime Minister that promised to propose a new political pact with Madrid, and when that Basque leader actually delivers what he promises peacefully and withing the frame of the law, everyone looks the other way, and some cowards even blemish the will of the majority of Basques with wild accusations that this whole thing demonstrates that there is no moderates among the Basques, that they are only playing the good cop bad cop routine in conjunction with ETA.
Well, today Ibarretxe defended the will of the Basques, he did it with passion, with determination and with intelligence.
It was up to Rajoy to show the true colors of his colleagues at the PP when he said that "the referendum will not be valid even if the 100% of the Basques support it". Some extrange way to perceive democracy I would say.
And Rodriguez Zapatero, who at least has been decent enough to allow the dialogue as opposed to what a Prime Minister puppet to Aznar's designs would have done in the same situation, candidly indicated that "the future of the Basques will be decided by all the Basques, and all the Spaniards". Sure, just like the English decided the independence of the USA and the Portuguese the independence of Brazil.
Ibarretxe
Basque premier Juan Jose Ibarretxe delivers a speech during a special parliamentary session to debate his plan for a 'status of free association' with Spain to the national Parliament in Madrid February 1, 2005. The plan, which the mainstream Socialist and right-of-centre Popular Parties say violates Spain's 1978 constitution, which allows regions a certain degree of autonomy from Madrid, is likely to end in rejection by a wide margin. The ruling Socialists also say the plan divides the Basque country and that it favors violent Basque separatist group ETA. REUTERS/Paul Hanna
.... ... .
No comments:
Post a Comment