Swiss MPs ask their government if they can mediate “between Madrid and Barcelona”
Swiss MPs from five different parties lamented this Tuesday that “Spain’s position seems to be doing the opposite of the international procedures expected from democratic countries” as their “constant vetoes have ended all the legal possibilities for Catalonia”.Swiss representatives from all the parties, except from the RL, which may join the proposal later, have asked their government if they can “mediate between Madrid and Barcelona”. “Considering Switzerland’s neutrality and democratic tradition, would the Federal Council propose our country’s good manners to ensure mediation between Madrid and Barcelona?” MPs asked the Swiss executive.
Brusels (CNA).- Catalonia’s push for independence has now arrived at the Swiss Federal Council. Swiss MPs from all the parties, except from the RL, which may join the proposal later, have asked their government if they can “mediate between Madrid and Barcelona”. “Considering Switzerland’s neutrality and democratic tradition would the Federal Council propose our country’s good manners to ensure mediation between Madrid and Barcelona?” asked Swiss MPs of their executive. The representatives also lamented Spain’s position as it “seems to be doing the opposite of the international procedures expected from democratic countries” and pointed out that their “constant vetoes have ended all the legal possibilities for Catalonia”.
Socialist Mathias Reynard, Christian democrat Yannick Buttet, conservative Oskar Freysinger, liberal green-party Beat Flach and green-party Balthazar Glätti are the five members of the Swiss Federal Assembly that signed the interpellation. “Catalonia has repeatedly expressed its will to decide its political future” and the Catalan government “has tried everything in order to fulfil their democratic mandate” in order to “allow the Catalan people to vote in a legal scenario” the MPs stated. They lamented that Spain “announced that in the event of a pro-independence forces victory they will consider the declaration of independence illegal”. Following this, the five MP’s asked the federal government if “considering Switzerland’s neutrality and democratic tradition”, they would “propose” the country’s “good manners” to ensure “mediation between Madrid and Barcelona”.
They also stated that “despite Madrid’s obstruction, Catalonia aspires to choose its own political future” and that “if pro-independence forces obtain a majority of the seats in the upcoming 27-S elections” Catalonia will “unilaterally declare independence”. “Catalonia has a strong and particular identity” which can be seen through its language, culture and also “centenary institutions” they emphasised.