Speeches

Madam President, Minister, in 1991 US Secretary of State James Baker solemnly declared that neither the United States not the European Community would ever recognise an independent Slovenia. Less than a year later, both were among the first to recognise the new country. The lesson is simple: self-determination must be pursued regardless of the opposition of world powers, that always will protect the status quo. This also means that states only recognise the exercise of these rights when it suits them geopolitically, or when they think that rejecting it causes more trouble than accepting it. And that’s why it often becomes a mess and a source of instability. The EU should change in stance on self-determination and grant a safe and clear path for minorities to exercise it within the Union and for viewing it with the rest of the world. Slovenia should lead the effort to redefine this right. And we Catalans will help you in this endeavour.

Madam President, we’re concerned about the youth participation and engagement in our European project. Well, what hundreds of Catalan youth are facing right now for their engagement in politics, following their protest, are arrests, trials and prison sentences, police brutality and abuse, and unrelentless infiltration and spying in youth organisations, without – without – judicial oversight. This is the reality of youth today in Spain, which is in the European Union. Meanwhile, Mr Sánchez’s government is about to pass new laws making repression against dissidents even easier. Commissioner, colleagues, we say that we need to engage youth in Europe. We have it! Youth are committed to justice and freedom. What we need is that the Commission stops endorsing repression and starts protecting human rights!

Madam President, we spend a lot of time discussing the rule of law standards for new members, but once they are in it seems that they can ignore those same standards, because they become members of the club and it’s the club of Member States. It’s mostly a system of cover-ups. President Metsola went to Barcelona over the weekend. I hope she found good weather there in my beloved hometown, a city where I have not been able to set foot in the last five years. Because if I did, I would suffer an arbitrary arrest. So what’s the credibility about rule of law? We only look at it for the candidates or for some of the members, depending on their power. In any case, I do hope that Ms Metsola does not help Spain in their political persecution. I’m happy that she denied that she was planning to strike four Members of this Parliament of our rights as representatives of more than two million people that elected us to this Parliament.

Mr President, big words, grave concerns, and self-righteous indignation from the Spanish Social Democrats and other colleagues here, but colleagues, this is not a new threat. Spain has Vox now, yes, but Vox had Spain long before it even existed. Vox had judges also in the Constitutional Court long before it had any elected representative. Vox controls the police, the military and the judiciary – and no wonder, honestly. The King of Spain was appointed by his corrupt fugitive father, who in turn got the crown from Franco. Spain’s chain of legitimacy dates back to the 1939 fascist victory, the only extreme right victory in Europe that never got overturned. Yet authorities in the EU speak of Spain, more of transition to democracy, and shallow abuses of human rights, with a straight face. When it comes to Catalonia, all Spanish authorities subscribe to the agenda of the extreme right, and as long as Brussels protects them, you are complicit in advancing the political testament dictated by Franco on his deathbed.

Mr President, the continued border controls and closures in some Member States must end now. The Court of Justice has now indisputably established what we knew all along: that continuous border controls and closures are illegal. The latest extension of border controls by France until 23 April, arguing new terrorist threats, makes a mockery of the Union’s law and the court. Worse, by keeping controls and blocking crossing points in Catalonia, France is endangering the livelihood and personal ties of thousands of Catalans north and south of the border. One month ago, I stood here asking that the border at Banyuls be open, but the rocks blocking the road are still there. France shows no intention of changing course. Now I ask you, Commissioner, to act. I ask you to uphold a cornerstone principle of this union and protect the freedoms of European citizens. Make France open the borders now.

Madam President, as we move on to the next budget, it’s important that we look at how the previous budgets have been used, but if we look at the use of Next Generation funds, what are the two pillars of fund management in Spain? Kafkaesque bureaucracy and obsessive centralism. That’s not news. Let’s look at the figures. While Spain is the main beneficiary of the Recovery and Resiliency Facility, 80% – 80%! – are yet to be completed. It’s even worse than under the 2014—2020 multiannual financial framework, when 76 were failed. This was rock—bottom, but now they are even better. Now, for SMEs, which are the core of the Catalan economy, only 9% of the assigned net resources were distributed in 2021. This outrageous inefficiency of the Spanish management of EU funds makes one wonder whether it is an active boycott. Who knows? What is sure is that Spanish bureaucrats and politicians just don’t give a damn. They are just lost in translation. To them, Next Generation means no rush. Their job is to drive people in business crazy with endless red tape and paperwork until the next generation. Catalonia needs independence to get rid of this nightmare, and the European taxpayers would also be much better off.

Mr President, do you know who Jina Amini is? Yes. She’s the woman who paid with her life for being free. However, everybody here has called her Masha, ignoring her Kurdish identity. Women in Iran are showing us how to fight for freedom. Sadly, this struggle has also become the perfect platform to show moral superiority without any real action. This is why nobody mentions that Amini was Kurdish, or that the most brutal repression in this crisis is happening in Kurdistan. These things remain hidden because they expose uncomfortable contradictions, like defending Kurdistan is difficult if one wants to be friends with Turkey. What is being done to protect women in our countries that are forced by their communities to wear religious garments is basically nothing. We call this religious freedom knowing that religion or freedom have nothing to do with it. The struggle of women in Iran is the new frontier of human rights, of women’s rights. We must rise above hypocrisy to support them with facts.

Madam President, in January 2021, France closed many border points, arguing prevention against terrorism and COVID restrictions. One year and nine months later, the border at the Col de Banyuls in Catalonia remains closed. Some huge rocks are blocking the road. Nine months ago, following our written question on the matter, the Commission informed us of a dialogue with the Government of France to open the border. Furthermore, the Court of Justice has concluded that internal border controls by Member States cannot exceed six months. Today’s report emphasises the risk of underdevelopment in border regions and calls for more, not less, openness and cooperation. Border closures separate families, friends and neighbours and thwart economic, cultural and political freedoms. It is ironic that decades after the freedom of movement was enshrined as the cornerstone of our Union, Spain and France remain unrelenting in their aim to separate Catalans north and south of the border, trying to erase our language, our culture and our history, and literally setting rocks on the road to divide us. This is intolerable and must end. French authorities must open the border pass. (The speaker concluded in a non-official language)

Mr President, on 31 August, the UN Human Rights Committee reported that suspending four Catalan elected representatives was a violation of their political rights and, more importantly, the rights of their voters. The UN reported that Spain is in violation of Article 25 of the Charter and is denying Catalans their constitutional rights. This happens in plain sight under your watch: the watch of this Parliament and the watch of this Commission. But we never hear anything from you. Is it your policy to wait for some outside institution to speak before you recognise the violation of the rights of European citizens? Or do you reserve this mistreatment for Catalans only? Is your silence weakness or cynicism? The report that we are discussing today rightly states that the widespread violations of human rights in the EU are causing serious danger and in some cases are systemic. You know this. Now that the UN has certified that Spain is unable to live up to its own Constitution, should we start saying the same of the Union and the Treaties, or will you dare to stop discrimination against European citizens on the basis of their nationality?

Madam President, thanks to the rapporteur for a good report. Kosovo is a stress test for Europe but self—determination is the route to solve conflicts peacefully and democratically, and hence it is sound geopolitical policy. If we look down on Kosovo as an experiment in new forms of good-faith colonialism as a nuisance to bear and despise for strategic reasons, then we will just repeat the historical mistakes in the Balkans. Almost all Member States recognise Kosovo, except a select few that align with Russia and drag the EU away from the only way forward. Among them Spain, the EU champion against self—determination. Europe pays a very heavy price for Spain’s internal insecurities. How much longer will Spain deny Kosovo’s existence just to get a warrant against the Catalans? Year after year, this charade grows more absurd. Self—determination is a fundamental right in Kosovo, in Sahara, in Scotland, and, yes, also in Catalonia.

Mr President, the CoFE was a pretence to invite debate and participation, but the priority was not to upset the status quo. For example, when participation delivered an initiative with the second highest level of citizen support, as the clarity mechanism for self-determination, it was simply brushed away ungraciously. But once we start debating the future of Old Europe, it becomes obvious that Jean Monnet’s dream of the Union of Peoples is watered down every day. And unless the Treaties are revised, our future as a democracy is doomed. Citizens’ rights are eroded while the EU institutions just look away, and fundamental rights are just another issue bargained off by governments behind closed doors. Something as basic as language diversity cannot be left to the will of Member States that often just want minority languages extinct. (The speaker uses a non-EU language) How come the Catalan language spoken by 11 million European citizens – European citizens! – cannot be used in this Chamber? This is not a Union of the Peoples. The European Union must cease to be a cocktail of governments. EU institutions must advance in democratic accountability. We need change.

Madam President, I would like to thank the Taoiseach for being here and for his remarks. The fundamental rights of any European must be the concern of every European, and in 1976, Ireland led by example. You took the UK to court for torturing detainees in Northern Ireland. It was an uphill fight, but time has shown that you were right. Yet decades later, we still see judges using evidence extracted by mistreating detainees. A recent ruling of the European Court of Human Rights ruled that a conviction of 17 years based on a confession extracted in isolation and without counsel was not a fair trial. The man was set free, but last week the Spanish Supreme Court disobeyed and sent him back to jail. Spain’s disregard for the Strasbourg Court is astonishing. Eleven times they have been condemned for not investigating torture. But guess what? The judge that was blind to abuse and torture in six of these cases, the delinquent judge, Mr Grande-Marlaska, is now Security Minister in Spain. Taoiseach, the tolerance of the EU authorities to Spanish human rights violation is alarming. We urge you to make your voice and speak clearly about that. We need to hear Ireland’s voice again. Please defend human rights for all Europeans.

Madam President, we need to explore this notion of systemic and serious deficiencies on the rule of law because, for some reason, of things like the reiterated case of the European Court of Human Rights on freedom of expression. Spain is still persecuting people for insulting the king, and yesterday the Belgian courts refused the extradition of Jose Arenas Valtònyc just on these grounds. Or, perhaps, the Council of Europe asking Spain to stop criminalising legitimate political activity, to drop the extradition proceedings against me and my colleagues Carlos Puigdement and Antoni Comín i Oliveres and refrain from sanctioning politicians for expressing solidarity. Spain has done none of these in obedience to the recommendations of the Council of Europe. In fact, last week, the former president of Catalonia was convicted again for the exhibition of a bayonet. So, Mr Reynders, when are you going to pay attention to what’s going on in Spain? This is systemic, this is serious. Next year, you will have additional data, like the Pegasus case, that is affecting scores of Catalan dissidents’ lawyers. My lawyer, during the process that led to removing my immunity in this Chamber, was being spied on by Spain as the process was going on. Well, if this is not serious and systemic, what is it?

Mr President, the conviction of Osman Kavala to life prison is the outrageous conclusion of a blatant case of persecution of political dissidents under the guise of a legal criminal prosecution. I express my full solidarity and call for his immediate release. Sadly, he is far from an isolated case in Turkey, where the oppression of political opposition is an everyday occurrence. Yet the EU treats Turkey as an ally and constantly looks the other way. Some Member States in particular have a very cosy relationship, and the war in Ukraine is an excuse for Turkey to win even more prominence. This must stop! Geo—strategic interests cannot take precedence over basic human rights, which in the end are what give us strength and courage to face up to authoritarian regimes.

Mr President, Spain is spying on elected politicians, including MEPs, our lawyers, our families, our assistants. The CatalanGate is a dystopian fantasy, a pathetic rendering of the life of others taking place under the complacent watch of the Commission and the Council, that cynically just mumble half-baked excuses on internal affairs. You may hope to get away with this, Commissioner, but in every political life there is a moment in which you can either stop the spread of a disease or be part of it. If the Union becomes nothing more than a cartel of old states with freedom to persecute national minorities, the failure will have many parents. We don’t ask you to solve our problems or to sympathise with our hopes. We just demand that you do your duty and uphold our rights in front of an authoritarian state.

Madam President, our budgets express our souls. Taxes allocated to our agencies should under no circumstances be used to infringe human rights, like pushbacks at our borders, a practice where Frontex plays a very shady role. Frontex and the Agency for Asylum must serve a policy that seeks to secure our borders, while defending fundamental rights and protecting refugees. However, we have a long way to go, because Member States too often infringe international law against asylum seekers. The case of Amir Zahiri and Akif Rasuli, two Afghan refugees in Lesbos, is a valid example. After their boat wreck, they were accused of human trafficking and condemned to 50 years of prison after a ten—minute trial at which no evidence was examined. Their appeals keep being postponed and postponed while they remain in prison. This must end and our agencies must stop covering them up.

Mr President, this is a lost opportunity, because instead of using this regulation to really change our energy towards more renewables, we keep investing in gas infrastructure, staying vulnerable both to the climate and the geopolitical front. Russian imports of oil, coal and gas are a huge share and they have not stopped – not even decreased – after the Ukraine invasion. The EU must be energetically independent, but the only path towards energy independence is to reach higher energy efficiency, wider deployment of smart grids and more renewables. With the entrenchment of incentives in some Member States, only the EU can really lead the way, and so far we are failing.

Madam President, this directive is a step in the right direction, and it is urgent to have multinational companies contribute at least a little bit. But it is also urgent to stop the unfair competition with local SMEs that bear the weight of state regulations and taxes. With war instability, inflation and energy prices going through the roof, SMEs are the weak link of the economy. Multinationals and governments have tools to weather this storm and put themselves always first. This leaves SMEs in no man’s land, often paying the price on fuel stability. For example, the urgent measures of the Spanish Government to lower oil prices demand that companies pay the government subsidy in advance. Easy for the big guys, impossible for the small guys. This directive is good and temptations to water it down must be resisted. But it is ironic that while we approve it, SMEs that keep our economies healthy, play by the rules and ensure our way of life in times of emergency are left out in the cold.

But it’s not right to be looking the other way on the affair of Western Sahara. Yet again, Spain’s nationalistic pride is dragging the Union away from international law and democratic ... (The President cut the Speaker off)

Madam President, while everybody was looking at Ukraine, Spain has recognised the sovereignty of Morocco over the Western Sahara. Spain is ignoring the right of self-determination and international law. Pedro Sánchez is dancing to the tune of an autocratic regime and is opening a crisis with Algeria. The Council needs to be paying attention to this. Why have they done this? Perhaps because of Ceuta and Melilla, perhaps because of the control of immigration that they want to give to Morocco. Why is the Commission ... (The President cut the Speaker off)

Madam President, our duty is to help Ukraine because they are suffering an intolerable aggression and because the principles of the international system must be upheld – territorial integrity, no invasions are allowed to change borders, the right to self-determination and third, we believe in solving conflicts through democratic means. So the EU has reacted, but more is needed. Military aid must be sped up. Let’s not hesitate. War crimes are being committed. We must help the refugees more and better. We need to stop energy imports from Russia and broaden sanctions. The EU is willing to impose sanctions against the oligarchs, but that’s not enough. Sanctions must also target the bureaucrats at the higher echelons of the Russian state. We must extend our pressure to the allies of Putin, those who promote autocracy at our borders and also inside the EU. We have awakened. Let’s show that we can be better.

Mr President, on 12 November 2019, hundreds of peaceful protesters walked the beach on the Spanish-French border at La Jonquera. As they left, many were held by the police on both sides of the border. On the French side, the Gendarmerie gave them traffic tickets, but those that were detained in Spain are facing criminal trial and may end up with prison sentences. So is the right to protest not the same on both sides of the border? Well, obviously not. The Spanish ‘gag law’, the Ley mordaza, gives ample leverage to criminalise dissidents, and Mr Sánchez, who ran for election promising to repeal this law, has done nothing of the sort. On the contrary, the police continue fabricating criminal cases and Spanish judges play along. And then we have President von der Leyen going to Madrid, and she has the nerve to celebrate Spanish commitment to democracy. Give me a break! The war in Ukraine cannot be the excuse to forget about the rule of law. If scrutiny of the rule of law in Member States is blurred by the fog of war, Mr Putin is already winning. If this war teaches us something, it’s that if we don’t take these things seriously, we become weaker and the prospect of autocracy becomes more and more real.

Mr President, there are many good things in this Digital Services Act, but it still leaves too much leverage to governments that fear the freedom of expression and cannot refrain from censorship. Do I need to remind you that Pablo Hasel, a singer, is in prison for his lyrics? Or about the Spanish obsession to imprison José Arenas Valtonyc, who dared to sing that the Bourbons are thieves? Spanish freedom of expression is different indeed. When it comes to online content, Spain is addicted to censorship. They block hundreds of websites promoting the Catalan referendum, they force the removal of apps that were used by activists, and they go as far as blocking the website of Women on Web, an organisation that counsels about abortion. Yes, freedom of expression is endangered in the EU, and this act does not go far enough to protect it.

Madam President, a few days ago, while Mrs von der Leyen was congratulating Spain upon receiving a first tranche of the EU recovery funds, Catalan SMEs were announcing that small businesses are de facto being excluded from the funds. There is much uncertainty on whether small firms will manage to access the funds through the maze of red tape. Hence, their investments are on hold. Spanish mismanagement not only works as a mis—investment. It is also the ideal channel to pump EU funds to Spanish crony capitalism. Remember React—EU? That was supposed to offer emergency relief from the pandemic, right? Well, the government of Andalusia used EUR 78 million to buy Abengoa’s headquarters with that money. Abengoa, yes – the bankrupt Spanish corporation that just last week was fined for oligopolistic practices. They needed help, and they got it with EU funds. The complacency of the European bubble contradicts the reality on the ground. Today I celebrate that I agreed with my colleague and great economist in Renew.

Madam President, this Digital Markets Act is very good news for Europe and for the world. At long last, we’re making progress to bring the massive tech players that shape our lives under some democratic oversight. The Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) is proposing many good amendments, but let me stress one that other colleagues have already mentioned today, the one demanding interoperability. This relates to something that I have very much at my heart because those of us that are subject to political persecution and espionage must choose our providers carefully to protect our privacy, but this often means that we will be cut off from our friends and family. Interoperability, if it becomes a reality, should put an end to that, and I hope it will make life easier for dissidents, democracy fighters and activists across the EU. It will certainly help me. Speaking of activists, I cannot miss this chance to remember Julian Assange after the recent bad news. He has my full support and I call again for his immediate release. I urge all European democrats to do the same.