The EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, lamented the following “paradox”: Formation of government “depends on someone who says and repeats that I don’t care about Spain’s manageability”and on the other hand, “who cares about the resolution of the conflict between Spain and Catalonia, of course, in his own way”.
“I think there is a conflict between the Catalans because Catalonia is not a monolith. The election results showed that,” the former Spanish Foreign Minister said in an interview with ‘El País’ collected by Europa Press.
Borrell’s advocate a parliamentary democracy “demands deals” and these agreements “require duties and concessions”Referring to the appointment negotiations between the PSOE and the nationalists after the 23 July elections.
Create structures in “conjunctions”
However, he pointed out that the problem is: creating structures in “conjunctures”. “We create State structures to resolve parliamentary situations. We have to envision the State we want and how institutions should work before succumbing to the pressure of the moment. And sometimes we have to turn necessity into virtue,” he said.
Borrell stated in his interview that the last elections were on 23 July. They became a “turning point” in the “seemingly unstoppable rise of the far right”. and the tendency of the “classical and far right” to govern in coalitions, describing Spain as a “counterexample” compared to the dynamics of other countries.
Sanchez made statements
When asked whether the Pedro Sánchez Government lacked the pedagogy to explain the transfers, Borrell replied that the vice president’s had to face “very difficult” situationshowever, it still achieved positive results, such as the “fire-clearing” of the conflict in Catalonia.
“Let’s remember that there are real risks in the disintegration of the State in 2017. And compare that to the current situation, where the PSC was banned yesterday and today outstripped the three pro-independence parties together,” Borrell said.
Borrell noted that Sánchez himself understood this, regarding the lack of disclosure of amnesties for independentists and reforms on sedition and embezzlement. “more and better” needed to explain. “That’s what he did right after the election call,” he added.
As such, he thinks his statements “must have had an impact” because the PSOE did better in the election polls than he expected.
“Spain is as plural and diverse as Europe, but to me they exist as political entities. Others deny its existence in the name of this diversity. I believe Spain and Europe are facing the same challenge,” he concludes.
Borrell recalled that since the PSOE lost its absolute majority in 1993, governments that need it “have had to invest thanks to the nationalist parties in the periphery.” “PP criticized the transfer of 15% of personal income tax and had to give 30% to the next legislature”, thus referring to the investment agreement between CiU and PP in 1996.
“Russia failed in its invasion of Ukraine”
During the interview, Borrell also comments on various current international issues as head of EU diplomacy. Thus, he confirms his failure in the lightning invasion of Ukraine, which Russia paid for. a “huge” cost in material and human terms. This does not mean that he has exhausted his abilities, now Putin is sacrificing his army and people for his national survival,” he adds.
He argued that the EU did “What had to be done” in this warIt would have helped Ukraine defend itself without expanding the conflict, although he acknowledged that aid was “very gradual”. He also stated that Ukraine’s EU accession process will be “completed as soon as possible”.
He dismisses the possibility that the military coup in Niger was the result of a Russian conspiracy, but admits it. country “takes advantage of the situation”.
He also acknowledged the risk of an irregular migration crisis arising from the situation in the African country, as well as a jihadist threat and potential instability for countries in the region.