Oct 10, 2017

Catalonia: Brittany Expresses Support for the Independence of Catalonia


In a recent statement [6 October 2017], the Parliament of Brittany has voiced their support for the Catalan people in the wake of the recent referendum held in Catalonia. Recalling their own oppression by France, Brittany is concerned on how the Spanish Government has handled the situation, especially the Operation Anubis, which was carried out on 1 October 2017.  In light of the violent crackdown, Brittany criticised the Spanish governments’ understanding of democracy in regards to self-determination. 

Photo Courtesy of Joan Campderros-i-Canas

Read the full statement here: AgenceBretagnePress 

In the name of the Breton people, the Parliament of Brittany gives its full and unshakeable support to the Catalan people, and already recognizes the current and future authorities of the Government and the Parliament of the Generalitat de Catalunya.

In these dark days for democracy, we, the Breton parliamentarians, democratically elected in November 2016, wish to express our support to the Catalan people and their representatives of the Government and Parliament.

The Parliament of Brittany is at the highest point concerned by the democratic situation in Catalonia.

- To grab the means of expression such as the ballot papers for the popular consultation on October 1st;

- To intervene by strength in three Ministries of Catalonia (Economy, External Affairs and Social Affairs);

- To block the means of payment of the Catalan Treasury;

- To arrest fourteen officials of the Generalitat (only Messrs. J. Ginesta, D. Franco, D. Palanques and JL Sánchez are now released [September 22th]);

- And the 41 police searches;

All this make this Operation Anubis (1) a blatant snub to the expression of democracy.

This non-respect of the Catalan citizens' decision marks a turning point in the Spanish democratic system: it is already signing the end of the autonomous status enjoyed by Catalonia. This refusal will inexorably lead to consequences for human life and international Right.

France, for her part, has undoubtedly used and will use the same methods which, unfortunately, will recall the dark years of her history and of our own: in 1532, loss of the sovereignty of Brittany by a coup de force at the Parlement de Bretagne in Vannes (State of Brittany); and in 1789, loss of our status of autonomy and of our Parliament of Brittany sitting in Rennes, illegally and unilaterally.

History repeats itself: the great States never learn from their mistakes, and this shows a total incompetence if not a refusal to accept the peoples who compose them, to share with them, to listen to them and to recognize to them the Imprescriptible Right to self-determination.

In those so-called democratic countries, that defend the rights of peoples to self-determination, there is no room left for self-determination, and this for no part of territory within their borders. It is forgetting that there are several peoples, and not only one, it is forgetting that no people is superior to another, it is forgetting that democracy does not belong to the leaders of States but that, by its very nature, democracy exists only by the people.