Varoufakis criticizes Spain for having Catalan “political prisoners”

Greek former finance minister demands EU to take action to solve this "humanitarian and European polics" issue

17 January 2019 01:01 PM

by

ACN | Barcelona

The Greek former finance minister, Yanis Varoufakis, has criticized Spain for having "political prisoners," referring to the nine Catalan pro-independence leaders in in precautionary detention, some for over a year.

In an interview with the Catalan News Agency, he said the Spanish president, Pedro Sánchez, is "clearly not doing enough" if the situation is going ahead. Varoufakis, who will run in the European election for 'Demokratie Europe' in Germany, feels "incensed and appaled" due to the existence of "political prisoners in Europe, he added.

"European issue"

The Greek activist also criticized the European Union for its role in the crisis, as he believes this is a "humanitarian and European politics" issue.

"The message [of EU] is what? We would turn a blind eye on the abuse of basic, political and human rights? This is not the Europe we want to live in"

Yanis Varoufakis · Former Greek finance minister and EU election candidate

"To condone the incarceration of elected officials because of the policies they pursued in response of the mandate they got from they people, and to justify it on the basis on constitutionality… this is a European issue," he said.

EU "turning a blind eye" on abuse of human rights

Varoufakis accused Brussels of "washing its hands clean of this", and asked: "What kind of message is Brussels sending, when it says it is none of its business?"

"What message is it sending to the illiberal democrats, to the emerging strongmen in various southern, central and now southern countries, like Italy?" he added.

"The message is what? We would turn a blind eye on the abuse of basic, political and human rights? This is not the Europe we want to live in."