Opinió
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Haurem de tornar a avortar en la clandestinitat
Betlem Cañizar
20.12.2013
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M. Antònia Font: 'Els llaços es mantindran fins al darrer alè'
Maria Antònia Font
18.12.2013
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Mancomunitat de Catalunya: de l'ahir al demà
Salvador Esteve
18.12.2013
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El Gran Wyoming: 'PP: un partit secessionista'
El Gran Wyoming
17.12.2013
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És l’estupidesa, estúpids!
Eugeni Casanova
17.12.2013
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La segona pregunta l’ha de votar tothom
Xavier Solano
16.12.2013
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El llistó més alt que no calia
Joan Ramon Resina
16.12.2013
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Un nyap útil
Amadeu Abril
16.12.2013
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Sobre la dèria d’encreuar mots
Joan Josep Isern
16.12.2013
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Hi haurà independència perquè no hi haurà referèndum. Una opinió i un pronòstic
Manuel Delgado
15.12.2013
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Era Val d’Aran e era independéncia de Catalonha
Jusèp Loís Sans Socasau
15.12.2013
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Com manipula El Periódico l’enquesta del GESOP
Miquel Almirall
14.12.2013
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L'agressió a la llibertat acadèmica
Joan Ramon Resina
12.12.2013
Martí Estruch Axmacher
30.06.2014
No voting--nor talking about voting--allowed
After months of endless, lethal paralysis, at least from a strategic point of view, the Spanish State is waking up and beginning to react to the growing "internationalization" of the new "Case of the Catalans", a direct heir to the "Case of 1714". But reacting in this case means literally that: that some people move and others scramble for an answer. Some send carefully synthesized 5-page reports and others counterattack with unintelligible, rambling 200-page memos. Some program chats and debates around the world and others rush around with their fleet of consuls and ambassadors calling up university deans and think tanks demanding the events be canceled. President Mas’ international visits are in a category all their own and trigger the mobilization of all possible armies, of course.
The obstacles and the letters and calls with threats of varying degrees have a range of results, but in general are not very effective. I have seen some of the letters signed by a Spanish ambassador and they are truly cringeworthy when seen through the eyes of a mature democracy that respects freedom of expression. I'm convinced that in many cases the threats are counterproductive. I will always remember how an important leader from a German "land" explained to me incredulously the pressure he had received from the Spanish embassy in Berlin against their hosting of an event about Catalonia's future organized by the Delegation of the Catalan Government. And he summed it up graphically: "It reminded me of the language and M.O. employed by East Germany."
Thanks to the shame of some or the discretion of others, including Catalan institutions, most cases don't come out in the public light. But once in a while, someone explains a story, like the University of Lisbon professor who published an article in the paper; or Pilar Rahola who explained her personal experience in a recent op-ed in La Vanguardia. The case of Clara Ponsatí will also go down in the annals of freedom of expression, or lack thereof, of Spanish university chairs. Many times, it's true, there is no proof beyond the certainty that something strange is happening. The last case, the conference that the oh-so-dangerous Carles Viver Pi-Sunyer was to give on June 17 in Brussels had a rather serious think tank of the likes of CEPS cancelling with less than 24 hours notice, offering nothing but lame excuses in lieu of an explanation.
The thing is, Europe isn’t buying this obstructionist strategy. When you don't have your own ideas, when all your arguments are based on threats and undermining the project of your adversary, you end up losing the game. In the Spanish State, everything that has to do with the sovereignty process goes right over their heads, and they are just pulling in when we are already a few stops ahead. The bird has flown. All of the evidence accumulated within the Spanish borders, which goes from buying favors, silence, and loyalties to closing newspapers and imprisoning journalists, just doesn't cut it north of the Pyrenees. And yes, Spain is an established democracy, hallelujah. However: not only does it not allow Catalans to vote, but it also doesn't want them to exercise their freedom of expression to even talk about voting to the world. Watch out though, when you walk into a restaurant and see that there are no tables, no waiters, nor a kitchen, in the end, you may suspect that this is no restaurant.
Originally published in Media.cat.
Editorial
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La manera de guanyar importa
Vicent Partal
27.07.2015
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La fi de Pujol i la fi de la Catalunya autònoma
Vicent Partal
25.07.2015
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7 contra 155?
Vicent Partal
24.07.2015
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El 155 o l'evidència de la desesperació
Vicent Partal
23.07.2015
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Rajoy i els conceptes més elementals
Vicent Partal
22.07.2015
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Anem a totes
Vicent Partal
21.07.2015
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Ciutadans contra el(s) valencià(ns)
Vicent Partal
20.07.2015
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Contra la revolució
Vicent Partal
17.07.2015
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Les tres explicacions que no entendran mai
Vicent Partal
16.07.2015
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Setanta-cinc dies per a treballar tots com bojos
Vicent Partal
15.07.2015
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Bones vibracions…
Vicent Partal
14.07.2015
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Turbulències, també a Podem
Vicent Partal
13.07.2015
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Lleida és un gran exemple
Vicent Partal
10.07.2015
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I ara un parell de preguntes
Vicent Partal
09.07.2015
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Entre Irlanda i la CUP
Vicent Partal
08.07.2015
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(In)justícies
Vicent Partal
07.07.2015
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La democràcia té límits?
Vicent Partal
06.07.2015
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Persistència per a guanyar
Vicent Partal
05.07.2015
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Sumar
Vicent Partal
03.07.2015
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L’embolic d’Iceta amb el 9-N
Vicent Partal
02.07.2015
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Contra la 'llei mordassa'
Vicent Partal
01.07.2015
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Europa, en perill
Vicent Partal
30.06.2015
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A les vostres mans
Vicent Partal
29.06.2015
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La trampa
Vicent Partal
26.06.2015
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El retorn de la Generalitat
Vicent Partal
25.06.2015