The Catalan Way (Via Catalana) is the way of tens of millions of Europeans

Otto Ozols | 2013. gada 23. oktobris
 
On Sept. 11, hundreds of thousands of Catalonians joined hands to form a 400 kilometer long living chain. Their purpose and their desire was profoundly understood by tens of millions of Europeans.
Their own independent state – a dream for centuries for the Irish, the Poles, Finns, Norwegians, Estonians, Latvians, Lithuanians and many other Europeans. They have all had to take the long and difficult Way to fulfill the dream of an independent state. The memory of their struggles for independence is sacred to these people – their fathers, grandfathers have dreamed and aspired, quite often sacrificing what is most precious – their lives.
So, deep in their hearts, millions of Europeans understand and support the Catalan aspiration for their own independent state. To them, Catalonians are not some sort of separatists. They are heroic people ceaselessly striving to fulfil their fathers’ and grandfathers’ dream – an independent state.
When Pope John Paul II returned to Poland in 1979, he was surely advocating freedom for his native homeland. For centuries countless emperors and dictators had tried to destroy and divide Poland. But the Polish people stubbornly and faithfully followed their dream of an independent state.
Finland, for centuries saddled by various empires, achieved independence in 1917, as did a year later also the three Baltic states – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Later the Baltic states remained true to their dream in spite of long years of occupation, repression and mass deportation to Siberia.
The closest parallels to the situation between Catalonia and Spain might be the Nordic states – Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Sweden and Finland. This was not always so. Only comparatively recently – early in the 20th century – they were relatively impoverished nations. For several centuries Denmark and Sweden ruled over the peoples of Iceland and Norway. From time to time the Danes and Swedes would wrangle over Norway, trading and redividing it, until, in 1814, the Norwegians declared independence. Naturally their Swedish masters found this unacceptable at first, and dispatched an army to reestablish “order”. Fortunately, common sense prevailed and a truce was declared, in which Norway entered into a union with Sweden, while retaining its previously adopted constitution. This union held until 1905, when Norway became a fully independent state. Another northern European state, Iceland, small but proud, declared its independence in 1944.
The example of the Nordic states shows us that even in the recent past, powerful European kingdoms were able to recognize the independence of subject neighboring peoples, enabling them to become pround and wealthy states today. They are all now universally respected in international society. One of the reasons for their success is that their relations are no longer dominated by resentment, but rather by cooperation and friendly competition. They all learn and compete among themselves for better ideas, for better solutions to their problems. In difficult, trying times, they unite in mutual cooperation and assistence. Their example could be a wonderful road map for the future of Catalonia and Spain, profoundly understood not just by northern Europeans, but by all European nations and states. That is why the peoples of the Baltic states sympathetically support Catalonia’s dream of independence.
Some time ago, one of Europe’s most brilliant thinkers and most outstanding diplomats, Estonia’s president Lennart Meri wrote: “The diversity of Europe’s large and small cultures is the key to understanding Europe’s creativity. Europe’s mineral wealth is relatively insignificant, Europe has never been a garden in paradise. Europe is the creation of its people, and, one could add poetically, that Europe in gratitude has created the European people. The idea of Liberty, Fraternity and Equality could have been born in many places, but it could only have taken root first here, in Europe.”
Lennart Meri is no longer living, but his deeply held conviction stays true, that the freedom of nations, including the freedom of self-determination is at the foundation of the European ideal. Bureaucracy, laws complicated by design, fear of change must not be allowed to deny any nation its right to determine its own future. Catalonia must be allowed to decide its own future. Those nations of Europe that have achieved their dream of independence must not betray the ideals of their fathers and grandfathers today, when their brother Europeans – the Catalonians – are striving to realize the same ideals.
Therefore, as a Latvian I say that I will be a Catalonian until Catalonia is free and independent. I believe and I hope that millions of Irish, Poles, Finns, Lithuanians, Estonians and many others will be Catalonians likewise.

desconexio del P. Valencià d'Espanya

Avui neix al País Valencià un banc públic al servei d’empreses i famílies, que és fruit de la reconversió de l’Institut Valencià de Finances (IVF). Aquesta mesura, que era un dels compromisos de l’acord del Botànic, fou aprovada en un decret llei pel ple de les Corts Valencianes el mes de setembre, amb els vots del PSPV, Compromís i Podem. Hi votaren en contra Ciutadans i PP.

El director general de l’IVF, Manuel Illueca, aprovarà avui l’estructura del banc, al qual s’afegirà el personal de l’Institut Valencià de Competitivitat Empresarial (IVACE). L’aprovació d’aquesta estructura assenyalarà el naixement oficial del banc.

Tal com va dir el conseller d’Hisenda i Model Econòmic, Vicent Soler, el decret llei aprovat per les corts atorga a totes dues institucions les competències per a donar crèdits. La idea és acomplir un doble objectiu: contribuir a evitar l’exclusió financera derivada de la desaparició de les caixes d’estalvis i que l’IVF pugui exercir plenament el paper d’instrument de crèdit del govern valencià.

Segons que informa Valencia Plaza, en una primera fase el banc públic tindrà un enfocament essencialment intern. Serà una eina transversal al servei de les conselleries per a finançar projectes de política industrial o turística. Més endavant, finançarà el sector privat, a fi de potenciar l’acció comercial. Serà llavors que internet tindrà un paper bàsic com a porta d’entrada d’empreses i famílies al banc públic.

Aquesta setmana el director general de l’IVF va anunciar que ja havia sol·licitat d’incorporar-se a l’Associació Europea de Banca Pública (EAPB). Segons ell, això servirà per a millorar l’eficiència i els serveis que ofereixi als ciutadans. L’EAPB és integrada per més de noranta institucions financeres de diversos països europeus, amb una quota del mercat europeu de crèdit de gairebé un 15%.

Revenge served cold

SIS has killed 2 people, one Norwegian, one of Chinese nationality.

Both countries have announced that they will be well and reprisals.

Does this mean that the two countries go to war against the Islamic state?

we are on the eve of a new armed conflict worldwide?

la venganza se sirve fría

 ISIS HA MATADO a 2 personas, una de noruega, otra de nacionalidad china.

Ambos paises han anunciado que no quedará así y habrá represalias.

Quiere decir esto que ambos paises entrarán en guerra contra el estado islamico?

estamos a las visperas de un nuevo conflicto armado a nivel mundial?

so is the PP in Spain

Gaspar Zarrías, accused by the Andalusian ERE, opens in Madrid when even consulting Congress charges
SOURCE: VOX POPULI
Anyone wishing to undertake some kind of business in Andalusia or unlock a complicated situation a few weeks ago has a privileged door to call in Madrid. Zano specifically Consultant Company, the firm recently opened porGaspar Zarrías, historical number two of the Andalusian and perfect knowledge of patronage networks in this region. Zarrías was not made known since the early days of July, when he resigned as deputy national PSOE due to its complaint in the case of fraudulent ERE in Andalusia.
Despite having left the House, Zarrías today continues to claim his salary as deputy over 2,800 euros, and will continue until the end of this legislature to have qualified for the parliamentary layoffs, which entitles you to perceive seven installments as compensation for what he charged until next February.
They say that if any aspect of politics in Andalusia Gaspar Zarrías simply do not know because it does not exist. Not surprisingly, he remained 27 years as a member of the regional parliament and of these, 16 forming the government. In a first stage, between 1988 and 1990, he was Minister of the Presidency of the Executive headed by José Rodríguez de la Borbolla. Later he held this position since President Manuel Chaves, for thirteen consecutive years, between 1996 and 2009.
In these last two years, he combined this position with that of Vice President of the Junta de Andalucia, which even led to exercise the presidency in office for three weeks, since the resignation of Chaves until the appointment of Jose Antonio Griñán. Both Grin and Chaves are also accused of the case of the ERE.
A more influential politician
Such history does Zarrías a privileged expert in everything that has to do with politics in Andalusia, mostly as number two Chaves. Parliamentary sources say their connection with the current president of the Junta de Andalucía, Susana Diaz, is also very smooth.
However, the political experience of Zarrías not only limited to the regional level. In April 2009, he followed the path of Chaves: amboscambiaron the Andalusian by the central government. While the everlasting Andalusian assumed the third vice president of the government of Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, Zarrías comosecretario of State for Regional Cooperation joined until the end of the legislature.
Later, he was elected national deputy for Jaen seat he has held until July gave his act when the Supreme Court upheld his complaint in the case of the ERE.
With this more attractive and suggestive poster, Zarrías law graduate and lawyer, the company recorded a few weeks ago Zano Consultant Company, with a registered capital of 3,000 euros, the minimum required for a limited company. According to the Madrid Mercantile delRegistro point, the company's corporate purpose "other activities management consultancy".
After opening a parenthesis in his political career, Zarrías will laposibilidad to monetize his influence in the Andalusian public life. Paradoxically, his declaration of assets not listed on the website of the Congress of Deputies whenever the Zarrías himself admitted that an error had reflected a strong increase in the amount invested in mutual funds (126,000 at the beginning of the legislature to more than 269,000) that did not correspond with reality. The statement also included real estate assets such as a house, four floors and a farm. To date, it has not published a new document.
The precedent of Elena Salgado
The movement resembles Zarrías starring former Economy Minister Elena Salgado in early 2012, when he created a strategic advisory firm shortly after leaving the Executive after the defeat of the PSOE in the general elections of November 2011. Just A few weeks after the creation of this company, named Elsa and Partners, Salgado joined the Endesa electricity as outside director of its Chilean subsidiary.
It remains to be seen if Zarrías follows the path of a number of influential politicians and ends up landing in the private sector, for which the consultant could be a good springboard. Surely, offers you will not miss.

el descontrol del PP

Rajoy y el PP se escudan en el independentismo de Cataluña, para evitar la evidencia de que no saben qué hacer con España

Catalonia is a colony of Spain

James Sobrequés:

"Catalonia is a colony of Spain"

Stated that Catalonia is a colony of Spain seems even more committed nationalists, dialectic exaggeration. It is a concept that independence has not taken regularly, as shown in the programs of the elections on 27 September.

The comparative historical analysis of the traits that characterized colonialism from the sixteenth to the twentieth century Catalan contemporary reality can classify as clearly colonial.

What are these characteristics? For starters, the armies of the metropolis without any right to occupy a country that until then was sovereign. Catalonia was occupied by the armies of Castile between 1705 and 1714. The Principality was then integrated into an independent confederation, the Crown of Aragon. Remember the occupation of America, Africa or Asia in the centuries of colonialism. We note the existence of the Spanish flag in front of the captain, irrefutable testimony of the current presence of the Spanish army in Catalonia.

Secondly, the occupying power destroyed the country's institutions are busy and impose military control. From Bourbon Nova Planta Decree 1716 is what has happened with Catalonia. Periods autonomy have been nothing more than a leniency force of military occupation.

Thirdly, the occupying Power organized the plundering economic colony. Remember drainage American gold to Castile after the conquest. This is what has happened with Catalonia. Since the tax Bourbon cadastre in the eighteenth century up to sixteen billion annual budget deficit of recent years, Catalonia has been, for three hundred years, a country seized by Spain.

Fourth, the colonial power and has been promoted within the colony, political, social or economic favor in the metropolis and, therefore, opposed the release of that. These sectors have acted as a fifth column for supporting the occupying power and curb the aforementioned liberation movements. In Catalonia, this fifth column fought, alongside the forces of the metropolis independence. In the last election, 27-S, the fifth column has sucursalista personal names and political organizations that are on the mind of everyone.

Fifth, the colonizers have tried to wipe out the language and culture of the conquered countries. The imposition has affected also by coating repressive actions or inquisitorial high hardness, the religious beliefs of the occupied countries. The attempt to remove the language and culture as an element of identity prime Catalan state has been constant. The repression of Catalan has manifested permanently from the first Bourbon provisions after 1714, until the law Wert. The decrees, laws, rules and regulations of the court of Madrid against the Catalan occupy hundreds of pages and have been unchanged for centuries. The South American countries are well aware that represented the linguistic repression to maintain their own languages. When the mother has not been able to remove these languages ​​has strived to turn them into second-class language.

One last factor. Never metropolis has not authorized the colony could freely decide their fate through a referendum of self-determination that would decolonization. This is the case of Catalonia.

History teaches that processes settlers have only been defeated when countries victims of the destructive action of the metropolis have achieved independence. Catalonia is one of the few countries in the world that has not yet freed from colonial oppression, and only if we look at Europe, we see that Catalonia remains, based on the characteristics I mentioned, the only colony that still exists in Old Continent. Thus there is a wide collective consciousness, one that will allow the national liberation Catalonia already looms on the horizon that we see every day closer.

Gaspar Zarrías, imputado por los ERE andaluces, abre consultoría en Madrid cuando aún cobra del Congreso

FUENTE: VOZ POPULI

Cualquiera que desee emprender algún tipo de negocio en Andalucía o desbloquear una situación complicada cuenta desde hace unas semanas con una puerta privilegiada a la que llamar en Madrid. Concretamente la de Zaño Sociedad Consultora, el despacho abierto recientemente porGaspar Zarrías, histórico número dos de la Junta de Andalucía y perfecto conocedor de las redes clientelares en esta Comunidad Autónoma. Zarrías se encontraba sin cometido conocido desde los primeros días del pasado julio, cuando dimitió como diputado nacional del PSOE debido a su imputación en el caso de los ERE fraudulentos en Andalucía.

A pesar de haber abandonado el hemiciclo, Zarrías sigue cobrando en la actualidad su sueldo como diputado, por encima de los 2.800 euros, y lo seguirá haciendo hasta el final de la presente legislatura al haberse acogido a las cesantías parlamentarias, que le da derecho a percibir siete mensualidades como indemnización, por lo que las cobrará hasta el próximo febrero.

Dicen que si hay algún aspecto relacionado con la política en Andalucía que no conoce Gaspar Zarrías sencillamente se debe a que no existe. No en vano, permaneció 27 años como miembro del parlamento autonómico y, de ellos, 16 formando parte del Gobierno. En una primera etapa, entre 1988 y 1990, fue consejero de Presidencia en el Ejecutivo presidido por José Rodríguez de la Borbolla. Posteriormente ocupó este mismo cargo, ya con Manuel Chaves de presidente, durante trece años consecutivos, entre 1996 y 2009.

En estos dos últimos ejercicios, compatibilizó este puesto con el de vicepresidente de la Junta de Andalucía, lo que llevó incluso a ejercer la presidencia en funciones durante tres semanas, desde la renuncia de Chaves hasta el nombramiento de José Antonio Griñán. Tanto Griñán como Chaves también están imputados por el caso de los ERE.

Un político más que influyente

Semejante historial hace de Zarrías un privilegiado experto en todo lo que tiene que ver con la política en Andalucía, casi siempre como número dos de Chaves. Fuentes parlamentarias aseguran que su conexión con la actual presidenta de la Junta de Andalucía, Susana Díaz, es igualmente muy fluida.

No obstante, la experiencia política de Zarrías no sólo se circunscribe al ámbito autonómico. En abril de 2009, siguió el camino de Chaves: amboscambiaron la Junta de Andalucía por el Gobierno central. Mientras el sempiterno presidente andaluz asumía la vicepresidencia tercera del Ejecutivo de José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Zarrías se incorporó comosecretario de Estado de Cooperación Territorial, hasta el final de la legislatura.

Posteriormente, fue elegido diputado nacional por Jaén, escaño que ha ocupado hasta que en julio entregó su acta cuando el Tribunal Supremo confirmó su imputación por el caso de los ERE.

Con este más que atractivo y sugerente cartel, Zarrías, licenciado en Derecho y abogado, registró hace algunas semanas la sociedad Zaño Sociedad Consultora, con un capital social de 3.000 euros, el mínimo exigido para una sociedad limitada. De acuerdo con el apunte delRegistro Mercantil de Madrid, la empresa tiene como objeto social “otras actividades de consultoría de gestión empresarial”.

Tras abrir un paréntesis en su carrera política, Zarrías tendrá laposibilidad de monetizar su influencia en la vida pública andaluza. Paradójicamente, su declaración de bienes no aparece en la página web del Congreso de los Diputados toda vez que el propio Zarrías admitió que se había producido un error al reflejarse un fuerte incremento en la cantidad invertida en fondos de inversión (de 126.000 al inicio de la legislatura hasta más de 269.000) que no se correspondía con la realidad. La declaración de bienes también incluía activos inmobiliarios como una vivienda, otros cuatro pisos y una finca. Hasta la fecha, no se ha publicado un nuevo documento.

El precedente de Elena Salgado

El movimiento de Zarrías se asemeja al protagonizado por la ex ministra de Economía Elena Salgado a comienzos de 2012, cuando creó una empresa de asesoramiento estratégico muy poco después de dejar el Ejecutivo tras la derrota del PSOE en las elecciones generales de noviembre de 2011. Apenas unas semanas después de la creación de esta empresa, denominada Elsa and Partners, Salgado fichó por la eléctrica Endesa en calidad de consejera externa de su filial chilena.

Está por ver si Zarrías sigue el camino de un buen número de influyentes políticos y termina por aterrizar en la empresa privada, para lo que la consultora podría ser un buen trampolín. A buen seguro, ofertas no le van a faltar.