European Commission doesn’t want “to influence” the Catalan elections as they are “a choice of voters”

Brussels (CNA).- Brussels has no intention “to influence votes in member states and regions” stated European Commission vice-president Valdis Dombrovskis, referring to the upcoming 27-S Catalan elections, which he added are “a choice of voters”.The former Prime Minister of Latvia and European Commissioner for the Euro and Social Dialogue comments came after the European Commission spokesman Margarities Schinas assured on Thursday that if Catalonia was to become an independent state, it “will become a third country and may apply to become a member of the EU”. Dombrovskis recalled that the European Commission “does not normally comment on party politics in member states or their regions” and outlined that they are “ready to work with democratically elected or appointed authorities of member states”. 

“Now it's really a choice of voters”, stated Dombrovskis this Friday, referring to the upcoming 27-S Catalan elections, which have gained international interest. He made this declaration during a breakfast meeting at the European Policy Centre in Brussels, where the governance of the Economic and Monetary Union was being discussed. During the session, a journalist asked Dombrovskis about the consequences of the Greek elections, which will take place on Sunday, and those of Catalonia. Assuming that Catalonia’s pro-independence forces would win, he asked what would be his message to the Catalan people. “The European Commission does not normally comment on party politics in member states or their regions”, answered Dombrovskis. “Nnow it's really a choice of voters, so from that point of view we cannot comment a lot on elections or different implications of one vote or another because certainly our intention is not to influence votes in member states and regions. So now it's really in the hands of voters. As the Commission has always outlined, we are ready to work with democratically elected or appointed authorities of member states”, he said. 

In 2013, Dombrovskis advised paying attention to Catalonia’s process

Back in 2013, when he was Latvia’s Prime Minister, Dombrovskis himself admitted that it was “worth paying attention” to Catalonia’s push for independence. When asked if he would recognise an independent Catalonia, he said that “if there is legitimacy in their process, then I would say, theoretically, why not?” but also admitted that if Catalonia were to obtain its independence through a Unilateral Declaration, the situation then “could be more complicated”. Either way, he refused to deny international recognition of this hypothetical new state, which made Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, José Manuel García-Margallo, ask for rectification. Margallo summoned Latvia’s ambassador in Madrid to rectify the comment but Dombrovskis refused to change his statement. “The Prime Minister said what he said” added Dombrovskis’ spokesman and added that he had “nothing to take back”.