Parliament of Spain’s Navarre recognizes Armenian Genocide (Navarre did)

June 24, 2014 By administrator

June 24, 2014 – 14:18 AMT

As a result of several study visits organized by European Friends of Armenia (EuFoA) to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh with different parliamentarians, the parliament of Navarre, Spain, adopted Monday, June 23, a declaration recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

The declaration adopted by the unicameral parliament reads that “in accordance with the resolution of the European Parliament of June 1987, reaffirmed by subsequent resolutions (February 28, 2002 and April 1, 2004), the events suffered by the Armenian people are an authentic genocide”.

“As we are nearing the centenary of the Armenian Genocide, such declarations clearly show European solidarity with Armenian people and their suffering,” commented EuFoA Director Eduardo Lorenzo Ochoa. “EuFoA is proud that thanks to its extensive network, more and more key European stakeholders are aware of the importance of this issue,” he added, according to an EuFoA press release

The declaration denounces the policy developed by the Turkish regime existing at that time and calls on Turkey “to establish diplomatic relations with Armenia in spirit of good and harmonious neighborhood, and to resolve their border dispute peacefully.”

In addition, the text underlines that given Turkey’s status as candidate for EU membership, those two issues (the recognition of the Genocide and the normalization of diplomatic relations) should be urgently addressed.

Navarre is a Spanish autonomous region in the north, bordering France, roughly the size of Cyprus (10,391 km2) and populated by around 650,000 inhabitants (equivalent of Montenegro). It is the fourth region in Spain that has recognized the Armenian Genocide, after the Basque Country, Catalonia and the Balearic Islands.

Source: PanARMENIAN.Net

Spain, April 24 hundreds of Armenians protested in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Alicante

April 26, 2014 By administrator

The set of a series of events the 99th anniversary of the Armenian genocide began on April 22 in Madrid (Spain) by a photographic exhibition dedicated to the Armenian Genocide in the cultural center “Casa de Cantabria” in the capital. Many foreign diplomats, elected officials, representatives of associations, intellectuals and members of the Armenian community of Spain attended the opening of the exhibition. Among the speakers, José Antonio Gurriaran “friend of the Armenians,” Karén Martanian the president of the association “Armenians in Madrid.” At this meeting was the proposed BBC documentary entitled “The Armenian Genocide” translated into Spanish. On April 24, hundreds of Armenians demonstrated in Barcelona, Valencia and Alicante. Armenian Spain-issue for a large majority by refugees from Armenia settled in the country in recent years-only community is estimated at about 80 000 members.

Krikor Amirzayan

Spain, Madrid blocks Catalan independence referendum

April 9, 2014 By administrator

Spanish lawmakers have rejected a request by the northeastern region of Catalonia for permission to hold a referendum for independence. Catalan nationalists say they will still push ahead with a ballot in November.

Spain’s Congress has rejected a proposal to allow the region of Catalonia to stage a referendum on independence late on Tuesday (08.04.2014). The vote tightens a standoff between Madrid and the northeastern region which is threatening to become a major political crisis.

Congress debated and voted on a motion which called for it to transfer the power to hold the referendum to the regional government of Catalonia, which is leading the independence campaign. The Catalan government has already scheduled a referendum for November 9.

The overwhelming result was widely anticipated, with 299 votes against and only 47 in favor and one abstention. Spain’s ruling conservative Popular Party (PP) voted against the proposal, along with main opposition Socialist Party and some smaller parties. The United Left, Catalan pro-independence groups and Galician and Basque nationalists backed the motion.

Unconstitutional vote

The Spanish government said the vote supported its argument that a Catalan referendum on independence is impossible because it would violate the constitution. In March, Spain’s Constitutional Court ruled that Catalonia could only stage such a ballot if changes were made to the constitution.

But in the congressional debate Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy also relied on other, less legal, arguments.

“I defend Catalonia remaining part of Spain because I can’t imagine Spain without Catalonia or Catalonia outside Spain,” he said. “It’s a question of emotion, of feeling, of a shared history.”

Rajoy even surprised onlookers by uttering a few words in the Catalan language, as he insisted that the region’s culture was not repressed by Madrid, as nationalists often claim.

But nationalists vowed to push ahead with their bid for a referendum on independence, despite the vote against them.

“It doesn’t all finish here, by any means,” said Artur Mas, the Catalan regional premier who has led the independence campaign, immediately after the vote. “The will of Catalonia cannot be stopped by a vote in Congress.”

Mas had stayed away from the debate, saying he preferred not to give his political opponents in Madrid the “great victory” of watching him lose the resulting vote in the flesh.

His decision seemed to be influenced by a similar independence plan presented to the Spanish Congress in 2005 by Juan Jose Ibarretxe, the then-leader of the Basque region. Ibarretxe suffered a humiliating political defeat when he watched as Congress blocked his proposal.

Spain’s economic powerhouse

With a population of over 7 million, Catalonia has Spain’s largest regional economy. While nationalists see independence as a longstanding historical aim, the recent economic crisis has strained relations between the region and the rest of the country. The Catalan government claims that it pays out too much money to the Spanish state in taxes, effectively subsidising poorer regions.

Thousands of Catalans have demanded the right to vote on independence

The recent independence drive also has political causes. A 2010 decision by Spain’s Constitutional Court to strike down several new powers granted to Catalonia sparked outrage. Last month’s ruling by the same court drew a similar response.

Mas recently warned that he had not ruled out making a unilateral declaration of independence if he had no other alternative. With the Spanish courts and Congress now deeming a Catalan referendum illegal, the region’s leader must decide whether to proceed with the November referendum as planned, without the state’s blessing, or to reconsider.

Fernando Vallespin, a sociologist at Madrid’s Autonoma University, said the only way to defuse the political tension could be to pursue a “new federal settlement” which gave Catalonia increased powers but not full independence. The opposition Socialists have been advocating such a plan, although neither unionists nor separatists have taken it up.

A full independence process, Vallespin said, would be deeply traumatic and difficult to see through.

“You always know how you start a divorce, but you never know how it ends,” Vallespin said. “And it normally ends up creating enormous stress for both parties.”

Source: DW.com