11.11.2017, Russia.
We should not oppose nationalism against left-wing movements, said Inaki Larrazabal Betty Fernandez a former member of the European Parliament (2013-2014) and a board member of the Aralar political party, on November 5 at the International Sofia Club Open Meeting on “Left Alternatives for Europe”, Rosa Primavera News Agency reports.
The Basque politician said that the Catalonia Independence fight has split leftist movements in Europe. A number of left-wing movements do not support the fight of Catalonia for independence, taking a position of equidistance between both sides, solely urging them towards dialogue. The Basque parliamentarian stressed that the same situation is observed across Europe. “The main problem is that leftist movements cannot unite to change the face of the Europe as we know it today,” Larrazabal Betty said.
The ex-parliamentarian noted that the Catalonian crisis is a test for European democracy, upon which not only the fate of Spain but also of Europe depends.
“The future of Europe depends on what response will be given by European institutions to the Catalan process. If we see that European institutions fully support the government of Spain, then there is a clear message to all European governments: ‘If you do not touch our markets, do what you want <… >’. If European institutions help to find a peaceful resolution to this conflict, they will demonstrate that they are respecting the rights of each person. Either Europe protects the rights of its citizens, or it will disappear”, the Basque politician said.
Inaki Larrazabal Betty Fernandez stressed that Spain did not complete the “transition to democracy” after the Franco regime. If the Catalan fight for independence fails, then other autonomous regions of Spain will also be deprived of their autonomy by the central government, which, according to Inaki Larrazabal Betty Fernandez, pursues a non-democratic policy of Francoist stalwarts.
On November 5, the Sofia Club Open Meeting on “Left Alternatives for Europe” took place in Moscow. The club was founded in the wake of the initiative of Tatiana Zdanok and Giulietto Chiesa, deputies of the European Parliament; Sergey Kurginyan, the leader of the “Essence of Time” social-political movement; and Zakhari Zakhariev, the president of the Slavic Foundation. Representatives from Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Russia, Ukraine came to Moscow to take part in the Club Open Meeting.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
