Reason 37: Only way to stop getting a discriminatory treatment from the Internal Revenue Service and other services

For the past ten years, Catalonia has led the ranking of tax audits from 2004 until 2011. This is the main conclusion from the data that the Spanish government has made public after the ERC group asked Congress on this matter.

The Catalan Republicans have been insisting on this issue for more than ten years. They had the feeling, and it has been confirmed, that Catalan employers received more pressure from the Spanish Internal Revenue Service (HMRC in the UK). So Catalans citizens, again, get an increased pressure that helps  to finance the rest of the state. According to these figures, in Catalonia there were 45,000 inspections, which represents 19% of all Spain.

During the period of the readjustment of the Catalan Organic law “Estatut” the pressure was the strongest, for example in 2005-2006 in Catalonia were 7,000 inspections while in Madrid in 5000 and received 4,400 Andalusia. 2012 is the only time that Catalonia is a leader in tax revisions, 3782 against 4172 in Andalusia.

But also other financial sources that in theory are set up to reinforce the law, hit Catalonia harder than other Spanish nations and regions: Spain has many more speed radars in Catalonia than in the rest of the Spanish state. The Circle of Catalan Business (http://www.ccncat.cat/en) reported that Catalonia there are installed 23.4% of fixed radars in Spain with only 7.4% of kilometers of roads, so that the Catalan nation has four times per mile more radars than the rest of Spain.

But the saddest aspect of this facts is not that Spain has been doing this for the past 300 years. The saddest thing (for them) is that they have no intention of changing anything. Today in the USA Obama has demanded Danny Werfel, official of the budget office of the Internal Revenue Service to resign. He is held responsible for doing something the administration is not suposed to do: To apply extra scrutiny to certain groups of society. In the case of USA, the target were conservative groups. The result of this: “he has to be held fully accountable and resign. Because the IRS as an independent agency requires absolute integrity.” Therefore he must resign.

Spain has been doing this for several years to Catalans and here nobody is asked to resign. Spain is different.

As a matter of fact, this kind of attitude has been going on ever since 1714, at least. Obviously there is here only one solution possible. With an independent state Catalans will not be extra targeted any more, and if they are, at least the money will not go somewhere else. Under Spanish rule I am positive this will never end. I think it will even get worse as Spain’s economy gets worse.

• http://www.elpuntavui.cat/noticia/article/3-politica/17-politica/640602-catalunya-lidera-les-inspeccions-fiscals.html
• http://www.directe.cat/noticia/294224/confirmat-hisenda-ha-cosit-catalunya-a-inspeccions
• http://www.jornal.cat/noticia/19935/per-cada-radar-a-espanya-nhi-ha-quatre-a-catalunya
• http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/05/16/obama-to-name-budget-official-as-acting-irs-chief/?iref=allsearch

Reason 33: Only way to have and ensure (a real) self-government

When democracy was reinstalled after the dictatorship, Spain did not want Catalonia and Basque Country to have a ‘special treatment’. In order to give them a kind of self-government, they created the so called ‘State of the autonomies’, which consisted of a division of Spain into autonomic (reed regional) ‘governements’. Catalans and Basques thought that was a good idea and believed this would offer them enough competences in order to develop essential aspects of the Catalan and Basque nations. The fact the all the other regions got a self-government they never asked and they didn’t feel they ‘needed’ was irrelevant.
The Catalan government got several competences, such as Civil law, education or health care (1). During the last decades Catalonia has made several laws and applied most of them. But the Spanish government never abolished the Spanish ministries on these matters, even though they did not have these competences any longer. After more than 30 years of making laws Catalans can say today that living in Catalonia differs in many ways from living in other parts of Spain. A recent example is that bull fights are in Catalonia forbidden.
But the reality is that during this time Catalans have tried to play as if Catalonia was a sovereign country or a nation, while they had the competences any other Spanish region also had. We see our country, Catalonia as a nation, the Spaniards see it as a region. So, we Catalans played our ‘role’, in some cases through law making, and when law was not possible (blocked by Spain) we seeked for surrogate solutions (such as the stickers for car number plates with ‘CAT’).
But this Catalan dream seems to be coming to an end. The reality is that none of the competences has ever been transferred completely, and whenever a Catalan law does not like the Spaniards they annihilate it. Some of us woke up when the Spaniards reduced the new Organic law of Catalonia ‘Estatut’. And we can see how the Spanish ministries are more and more unsatisfied with the ‘State of autonomies’.
Even though the Spanish prime minister has said not to want to dismantle the ‘State of autonomies’, the idea is present within the Popular Party (PP) and within the Spanish population. This has come out lately in the news(2). The Spanish dream consists of Spanish supremacy all over the Spanish territory. And the ‘State of autonomies’ is a thorn in the eye of many of them. Many Spaniards (I think most) see as a logic, as proper, as a fundamental right to have equal Spanish education for everyone in Spain. This ensures their language’s supremacy. It also unifies content at school for everyone within Spanish borders (Spanish geography, history, literature, et cetera). Many Catalans can still remember a world like that (1939-1978).
This week Esperanza Aguirre (PP) declared her dissatisfaction with the ‘State of autonomies’. She spoke of taking back competences such as Civil Law, Education and health care.

A positive vote of PP and PSOE for such an idea could mean the end of the ‘State of autonomies’. They have got the majority and have shown to be capable of taking any step in order to ensure the continuity of a united Spain and the recovery of Spanish supremacy.
Today we can see the Catalan government does not seem to have any real competence, and even its existence is unsure as long as we remain under Spanish command.
Only becoming a sovereign state in Europe can ensure we will have real competences and will be able to really decide for ourselves without anyone else prohibiting us to be how we want to be.
As for now, the danger is getting bigger. I just hope enough Catalans wake up before it’s too late.

(1) http://www.gencat.cat/generalitat/eng/estatut/titol_4.htm
(2) http://www.directe.cat/noticia/193759/el-pp-engega-motors-per-liquidar-lestat-de-les-autonomies
(image ols Spanish school book: http://www.rafaelcastillejo.com/escuela-2.htm)

REASON 32: ONLY WAY NOT TO EVER BE BEATEN UP AGAIN FOR SPEAKING CATALAN

Every year Catalans have to witness that speaking our own language in our own country can cost us our job, can cost us delays or denials to get what we order, rejection for participation or it can even cost us our health and dignity, we can even be beaten up just to use our language. It is not easy to understand for a citizen who lives in a ‘normal country’. A British citizen would find it something unbelievable, that for speaking in English to a policeman in London, the policeman would beat him up.

This is what we Catalans in our own country have to cope with. We have to cope with a constant psychological war against us, against our identity and language in our own country, and with the threat of getting into trouble or, in the worst scenario, get beaten up by people who are supposed to protect us against criminals instead.

Four weeks ago a lawyer from Barcelona was beaten up at the airport of Barcelona for speaking Catalan. Two weeks later a policeman sued a citizen in Mallorca claiming a lack of respect for the authorities because he spoke Catalan. The list goes on and on.

I have spoken to Kurds and Berbers and I have witnessed also on TV how people from other repressed cultures and languages are being discriminated in exactly the same way. Tibet is another example, but there are hundreds more.

There is only one conclusion possible to take here: Catalans are still, after 30 years of a supposed democracy, living in a repressive system. And we are in the year 2012! The repression is perhaps not written in the law, but it is still there, in every day life. Oh, and don’t think the cop who did that has been suspended or prosecuted, Not at all! The Spanish judicial system protects these criminals so that they can carry on with their repressive and intolerant activities. And this is happening systematically, over and over again. That is Spain today.

As one can see from any country that has acquired independence, this kind of repression is solved in an instant after independence. Norwegians, Finnish people, Irish people and many other people from any country that got independence, even the Dutch know this. Spain stopped bothering the Dutch and stopped repressing its people and its ideologies (Protestantism in the XVI century in the case of The Netherlands) from the moment they became an independent state from Spain. The Spanish have proved, for hundreds of years already, to have an intolerant nature. In the year 2012 there are no signs of change or regret what so ever.
Conclusion: Only independence can solve this bitter discrimination that leads to such an unpleasant disadvantage with even the threat of being beaten up by the police.


http://www.naciodigital.cat/noticia/39185/guardia/civil/agredeix/advocat/prat/parlar/catala
www.naciodigital.cat/noticia/18208/suspes/judici/guardia/civil/agredir/jove/parlar/catala
http://www.naciodigital.cat/noticia/18667/suspes/judici/interpret/arab/parlar/catala/guardia/civil/palma
http://helpcatalonia.blogspot.com/2012/01/i-guardia-civil-attack-on-catalan.html?spref=tw
http://www.ara.cat/politica/Palma-Urdangarin-catala-guardia_civil-denuncia-Instituto_Noos_0_652734836.html

Reason 31: The only way to get all products labelled in Catalan

How many years have passed since the restoration of democracy. I remember in those times people spoke another type of Catalan. I remember that the first Catalan TV channel TV3 had to 'create' an artificial language, as so many years of linguistic oppression had brought a tremendous lack of vocabulary, since by law everthing had to be in foreign language (French in North Catalonia in Spanish in South Catalonia). Watching Catalan TV series was like watching to a utopian, non-existent and surprising Catalonia, in which you could see a robber speaking Catalan, where you could hear people talk about products in Catalan for the first time. Gradually the situation has changed, but not much. In Southern Catalonia (the Spanish side), one of the most serious causes of this deficiency of vocabulary are the 500 laws that require the labelling of products in Spanish language or the use of Spanish language in business and on the other hand, the almost total lack of resources or desire to get products tagged in Catalan.

What a relieve it was for me, in 1992, to move to a country where there are no such linguistic deficiencies, and what makes me sad seeing how Catalonia, after 20 years in Amsterdam, has hardly improved, it gets one step forward and two backwards.

I was very happy to discover businesses like supermarket chain Bon Preu, where the fancy brands of the chain are in Catalan, but if you want to buy any ‘A’ brand you practically won’t find any in Catalan at all.

If my conclusion, long ago, was already that only a Catalan state can get this situation to normality, now it is being enforced by a new EU law. The EU is looking to take a new measure that will make even more difficult to label in Catalan, and will even turn tagging only in Catalan into an illegal activity. The EU wants to force EU member states to label their products in one of the languages that are official in Europe. In the case of Spain it is definitely not the Catalan language, as Madrid blocks the access of Catalan language to have an official status in Europe. (Http://www.elsingulardigital.cat/cat/notices/2011/07/l_etiquetatge_en_catala_en_perill_70738.php)

As with the Catalan language at schools, the situation is precarious and uncertain as long as Catalonia is part of Spain (and France). The Catalan language, after 30 years of 'democracy' is still in a similar situation. Buy a car, medicine, shampoo, quince, cheese, condoms, or whatever you want. To find any product in Catalan is still a rare and surprising experience. This phenomenon is not only emotionally painful, is a constant weakening and impoverishment of our language; it is a constant free Spanish lesson for native and foreign citizens. Imagine a foreigner who wants to learn Catalan (and does not know Spanish). Going to the supermarket and all interested in how the products are called in Catalan. Well, what will she learn? pañuelos, lavavajillas, membrillo? Not a single Catalan word. No mocadors, rentavaixelles, codony.

Besides these inconveniences, Catalans still today have to snap to Spanish language when talking about certain products that in the public arena only exist in Spanish language as the Spanish law commands.

It is clear that without the protection of an own state Catalonia will never reach a normal labelling of products.
More information (in Catalan):

http://blogspersonals.ara.cat/elcatalasuma/2011/11/03/faktum-abstrakt-rationell/
http://blogspersonals.ara.cat/elcatalasuma/2011/10/06/etiquetatge-catala-llei-i-acompliment-ii-un-criteri-curios-en-l%e2%80%99aplicacio-de-les-lleis/
http://www.elsingulardigital.cat/cat/notices/2011/07/l_etiquetatge_en_catala_en_perill_70738.php

Reason 30: ONLY WAY TO ENSURE NORMALITY IN EDUCATION IN CATALAN LANGUAGE

In a normal (sovereign) country nobody puts in doubt that every citizen must have the right and the obligation to learn and to be able to speak in the ‘national’ language. In the artificial creation of the 18th century nation states, such as France, the absolutist regimes (dictatorial monarchies, dictatorships so to speak) engaged a crusade to abolish any other culture and any other language in ‘their’ territory than theirs. They imposed the idea that their territory was ‘a nation’ and that it had to have only one language, theirs. But the territory they had in charge was not at all ‘a nation’ and was not at all monolingual.

Even though this phenomenon had happened already several times by several other authoritarian regimes before (such as the Romans, to remain in the same area of the globe), the beginning of the 18th century can be seen as a decisive turning point, in which languages and cultures that did not enjoy the protection of a monarch, started to suffer an unprecedented cultural genocide ever since the fall of the Roman empire. Not only the Catalan language, but also the Frisian, the Flemish, the Occitan, the Gaelic languages, the Basque language, and so on, they were all persecuted and sentenced to death. Their use was prohibited at schools, governments and churches, it was prohibited to right books in those languages and even to have a name in those languages.

Today, in democratic Europe, the scars are still open, and even though some moribund; many of these languages are still spoken. It is sad to say that the phenomenon and the mentality that thinks it is legitimate to destruct these languages is still there, alive and kicking; in France, in the Netherlands and of course in Spain.

The Spaniards prosecuted Catalan speakers in horrendous ways, with discrimination, punishments, and even imprisonment because they used Catalan language. The famous architect Gaudí was also imprisoned just because he spoke Catalan to a police officer. Just to be a Catalan has been for the last 300 years a constant disadvantage and a reason to be discriminated by the authorities imposed by the Spaniards. Official positions in Catalonia ever since the abolition of the Catalan state in 1714 were given only to Spaniards (in some cases to Catalans who turned themselves into ‘neat’ Spanish speakers, called botiflers). Officers never spoke a word of Catalan and showed such an aversion to you as Catalan that you tried to sound ‘as less Catalan as possible’ when needed to deal with authorities in order not to be discriminated. Something I have experienced myself and shall never forget. This is something nowadays still happens too often to Catalans who speak Catalan to police officers or even children who at hospital talk Catalan to a nurse that does not want to understand it. It is a very serious offense and very painful experience to be discriminated in your own country in this way.

Spain is very far away from the really democratic Zwitserland, where there are clear language borders in which every one respects the fact that it is a state with 4 languages and no language has the right to be imposed upon the others. Belgium is not Zwitserland, there we see a language collision, in which the French act in the Spanish role and the Flemish in the Catalan. The big difference is that Flanders already has got the autonomy of an independent state, as Belgium is a federation in which Flanders acts with full independence in all domestic politics and the French speakers would not even dear to demand French education for their children in Flemish schools.

But Spain is different. The persecution of Catalan language is still going on and the mentality that every Spanish citizen (read Castillian speaking citizen) should have the right and obligation to be educated in Spanish, even though Spain is not a monolingual state, is also still there. They cannot conceive that the Spanish state hasn’t become monolingual like France.
Catalonia has tried to bring the Catalan language to a normal situation, in which every citizen who grows in Catalonia has the right and obligation to learn and to be able to speak the language of the country, which is Catalan. This, next to the obligation and right to learn and to be able to speak Castillian (which is the language our neighbour country, imposed upon us). The Catalan policy wants to offer equal education to all, without discriminating anyone linguistically. It is easier to find a job is you speak both languages than if you only speak Castillian. The Catalan education system makes clear that in Catalonia the predominant language is the language of the country, Catalan, and some Spaniards cannot accept this. That’s why some Spaniards have brought the Catalan education system to the Spanish Constitutional Court. And this court has said that the Catalan educational system must offer the option to be educated in Castillian language, and that Catalan language cannot be the predominant language.

Spain will never be like Belgium or Zwitserland. Spaniards keep trying in many different and subtle ways to turn Catalan into a minority language and reinforce the supremacy of their language in the whole of ‘their’ territory. Spain is an unfinished and failed copy of the French model, which achieved a higher degree of homogenization, where all is left over are zombie languages scattered around the southern half of their territory (Breton, Occitan, Catalan, Basque) the existence of which is practically unknown by any other European citizen.

To me again one thing is clear, only with a Catalan state we can guarantee normal education in Catalan. A Catalan state would mean a more natural administration of Catalonia, a protection of Catalan rights, language, culture and economy, in own territory and abroad, the abolition of impositions from our neighbours, who clearly have another mentality and other interests than we. We don’t go to impose Catalan in Madrid, why don’t they leave us in peace?

Reason 29: ONLY WAY FOR CATALAN LANGUAGE BE OFICIAL AT THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

One of the advantages of being in the EU is that we keep much more in contact with each other than we ever did before. And thanks to this we can compare the rights all state members apply to their citizens. One can easily see how the different mentalities result in different approaches in the possibilities citizens have in different European states. For example, the reaction of the UK to Scotland willing to organize a referendum for independence (acceptance, open to the will of the peoples from Scotland, respect of human rights) very different than the Spanish reaction to a possible Basque or Catalan referendum, reaction that one wouldn’t expect from a European state, but rather from states with questionable democratic regimes such as Russia, China or Turkey (repression of fundamental democratic rights, denial of our cultural singularity and prohibition of the referendum).

Another example: one can see how Scotland is allowed by the UK to have own representation in the Olympic games and other international sports competitions, and Spain tries to block as much as possible Catalan participation to all international sports competitions.

For several years, Catalan politicians have been lobbying in the European parliament to make Catalan official language in the European parliament. The Spanish politicians block, over and over again, the acceptance of Catalan as official language.

Catalan is seen as a minority language, while if one sees the amount of speakers one shall understand that Catalan is not at all a minority language. Catalan is being kept as minority language, but in reality it is the 13th language in amount of speakers of the European community. One can count the amount of speakers per language world wide, or the amount of speakers on European soil. No matter how you count. Catalan is the 12th/ 13th language.

Catalans should be treated as the speakers of the 13th language in the European Union and not as a minority. But as one can see, it is not the amount of native speakers what counts. What counts is being the language that enjoys the protection of an independent state, no matter the inhabitants.

Two weeks ago PP and PSOE, after several times in the past years, voted against Catalan being an official language in the European Parliament, blocking the normalization of the Catalan language.

Conclusion: Only by being an independent state Catalan shall be official in the European Parliament. Besides this, I remind you that with an own state Catalonia shall have 17 parliamentarians, today we only have 7. (http://independentcatalonia.blogspot.com/2009/06/reason-18-european-sardana-or-only-way.html).

Here you can see the amount of speakers per language (official languages + Catalan) on European soil:

1. German: 95 million (Germany, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland)

2. French: 68,5 million (France 64,5 million, Wallonia 3,4 million, Luxembourg 0,5 million)

3. English: 66 million (UK: 60 million, Ireland 6 million, Malta 0,0065 million)

4. Italian: 62 million

5. Polish: 38 million

6. Spanish 31,9 million (Population in Spain is 46 million inhabitants, 10,5 million are Catalan speakers, 0,6 million are Basque native speakers, 3 million are Galician native speakers, so 31,9 million Spaniards can be considered to have Castilian Spanish as mother tongue).

7. Dutch: 22,1 million (Netherlands 16,6 million of which 0,5 million have Frisian as mother tongue, so 16,1 have Dutch as mother tongue, Flanders 6 million)

8. Hungarian: 16 million

9. Greek: 13 million

10. Bulgarian: 12 million

11. Czech: 12 million

12. Portuguese: 10,5 million

13. Catalan: 10,5 million

14. Swedish: 9,7 million

15. Slovakian: 7 million

16. Danish: 6 million

17. Finish: 6 million

18. Lithuanian: 3,5 million

19. Slovene: 2,5 million

20. Irish: 1,6 million

21. Latvian: 1,4 million

22. Estonian: 1 million

23. Maltese: 0,37 million

ARTICLES IN CATALAN:

http://www.naciodigital.cat/noticia/33095/psoe/sumen/forces/evitar/oficialitat/catala/europa

http://www.naciodigital.cat/noticia/12392/vicepresidenta/catala/oficial/europa/culpa/govern/espanyol


ARTICLES IN ENGLISH:

http://www.nationalia.info/en/news/655

http://www.euractiv.com/en/culture/meps-push-eu-recognition-catalan-welsh-languages-news-309487

Reason 28: ONLY WAY TO BUILD A CARGO RAILWAY FROM CATALONIA TO EUROPE

During the past two decades, Spain has made evident, with most of its big investments, to make a policy based in the consolidation of a ‘Spanish nation’, without considering at all if these investments were profitable. The result is a state with an unsustainable infrastructure, that without the fiscal deficit of the Catalan countries shall go bank rupt even faster than Greece. The Spanish government invests over and over again in infrastructures in places where there isn’t enough commercial activity, not enough tourism, not enough industry, not enough passengers.
The new airport of León, recently opened, is already known as the desert airport. It was thought to accommodate 3 times more passengers and it has cost 80 million Euros. But where are the passengers? Well, the airport has capacity for 580 passengers per hour, but there are no more than 250 passengers in a DAY!
The company that holds the monopoly on airports in Spain, Aena, held a competition for entrepreneurs for the operation of all restoration services of the airport. After a month nobody had appeared. Entrepreneurs do make a research before making an investment. The result: no investors interested.
But it’s not only the initial investment, the maintenance of an empty airport shall be an unsustainable and lasting expense.
Another example is the unsustainable thousands of miles of high-speed railways. Spain is the European state with the most miles. Madrid seems obsessed with trying to extinguish its geographical isolation by the way it invests in transportation. Everybody says the same: they did not even consider the profitability of these high-speed railways. Well, the European directives confirm that none of the Spanish high-speed routes are profitable. A high-speed train needs 9 million passengers a year in order to be profitable. Madrid-Barcelona, the busiest of the routes, has 5,3 million passengers a year.
Yesterday, they closed the line from Toledo to Albacete, which is losing € 18.000,- every day! It is used by the huge amount of 9 passengers a day.
At this moment only 30% of the costs are covered with the sale of tickets. To be honest, the chance that any of the other lines than Madrid-Barcelona ever achieves 9 million passengers is zero. The Spanish high-speed railways is an unsustainable financial disaster.
The last example: Spain is building a new harbour in Algeciras (south of Spain) that shall be 3 times bigger than the harbour of Barcelona. This harbour shall have a cargo railroad from Algeciras to Europe. The cargo shall have to travel 1200 kilometres (745 miles) and be lifted up the mountains until 1000 meters of height before it arrives to Europe. Can this be profitable? impossible.

Images from the web site of the Spanish ministry on infrastructures:
The harbours of Spain today:



The harbours of Spain in 2020:



The Cargo Railroad in construction:



The cargo railroad Catalonia wants since the 80’s, never has come and as long as Catalonia remains part of Spain, never shall come. But this one could be profitable. From Barcelona to France there is a distance of only 155 kilometres (96 miles).
The Dutch made a similar cargo railroad from the harbour of Rotterdam to Germany. From the biggest harbour of Europe to Germany, most important client of Holland. With only 158 kms (98 miles) the Dutch made several studies before investing in such a cargo Railroad. During the first years it was far from profitable, but it seems lately it is starting to improve. The trains that carry goods to Germany are 500 meters long and substitute up to 15000 trailers a month. With this cargo railroad the Dutch save up to 200 kms (124 miles) of traffic jams every day. Analysts say the line shall only be profitable when the Germans finish the line in German soil. We are talking of only 158 kms (98 miles) on flat terrain versus 1200 kms (745 miles) being lifted up to 1000 meters of height.
The Spaniards are systematically diverting economical activity from Catalonia towards their territory (they do so also by prohibiting most intercontinental flights from and to Barcelona). The Catalan economy shall keep decreasing more and more as investors shall move to the better-communicated Algeciras, Madrid, and other parts of Spain.
Without an own state Catalonia shall never have the cargo Railroad to Europe.
Information in Catalan language:
http://www.directe.cat/noticia/160966/tremosa-denuncia-que-l-estat-espanyol-va-boicotejar-una-visita-d-eurodiputats-al-port-de-t
http://www.elpunt.cat/noticia/article/1-territori/12-infraestructures/375886-foment-evitara-prioritzar-leix-mediterrani-per-sobre-el-pirinenc.html
http://www.slideshare.net/pacoriviere/espanya-es-queda-cada-any-19177-meur-dels-impostos-pagats-pels-catalans
http://www.avui.cat/noticia/article/2-societat/5-societat/358163-el-que-fa-madrid-a-leix-mediterrani-es-molt-greu.html
http://www.avui.cat/noticia/article/2-societat/5-societat/279209--ave-la-ruina-de-lestat-.html
http://www.eltriangle.eu/cat/notices/2011/01/Es_rendible_l_ave_20436.php
http://quiron.wordpress.com/2010/10/16/lave-madrid-valencia-competencia-deslleial/

Information in Spanish language:
http://www.diariodeleon.es/noticias/noticia.asp?pkid=607090
http://www.quieroleon.com/index.php/2011/04/el-pal-muestra-su-preocupacion-por-la-situacion-del-aeropuerto-de-leon-al-que-tacha-de-mentira-politica/
http://www.albacity.org/horarios/tren/ave-toledo-cuenca-albacete.htm

Information in English:
http://allplane.blogspot.com/2010/12/spains-empty-airports-iii-leon.html

Information on the Dutch cargo Railroad in Dutch:
http://www.trouw.nl/tr/nl/4324/Nieuws/article/detail/1204571/2008/11/27/Betuwelijn-begint-al-te-bloeien.dhtml

Reason 27: ONLY WAY TO ALLOW CATALAN IN BERNABEU

Picture of Don Santiago Bernabeu and Don Francisco Franco. 7 december 1960.

In this web site (http://www.footballderbies.com/stadium/index.php?id=13) you can find this text:
“ Barça's Nou Camp stadium ('New Ground' in Catalan) is the biggest stadium in Europe. It's a Catalan monument, you could say it's the national stadium of Catalonia. In Franco's days this was the only place where people could speak Catalan (which was forbidden) and where they could show their flag. The Bernabeu is also among the biggest stadia in Europe.”
If during Franco’s dictatorship Catalan was only allowed in the stadium of FC Barcelona, today, in our ‘democratic’ Spain, Franco’s dream to prohibit Catalan has a rebirth as Catalan has been forbidden in the stadium of FC Madrid.
The fact is, that Santiago Bernabeu is the only Stadium of the Champions that prohibits Catalan language. Catalan citizens can hear Catalan announcements in their mother tongue in any other match in Italy, UK, Ucraine, or any other country.
The reasons given for this prohibition are quite interesting:
First they said that there was nobody in the Stadium who understood Catalan, which is simply incorrect, as in a match with FC Barcelona thousands of Catalans travel to Madrid to see the match.
Then they said as both clubs are Spanish, it is not necessary to use another language than Spanish. Well, technically speaking this is also incorrect. Spain has 5 official languages and none of them can technically be seen as THE Spanish language. It is as incorrect as to speak of THE European language. But well, if we have to accept that they mean their language (the Castillian language) it still is no reason to prohibit Catalan as they allow any other language, even foreign languages.
The last reason they gave proves the hatred in Spain against Catalonia, its language and its culture: Madrid pressed UEFA and warned them of the riots that could arise if the public would hear the Catalan language.
Not a single foreign language is prohibited in Bernabeu. Not a single other language could lead to riots. Spain shall only accept us if we are an independent country. As long as we are part of Spain they shall try to assimilate us, to destroy our language and our culture and to turn us into Spaniards. And I am not saying that there is anything wrong with being Spanish, but you cannot ask a French citizen in his own country to abandon his language, culture and identity and become a German or British citizen. Exactly in the same way you cannot expect a Catalan citizen to abandon his language, culture, identity and adopt one that is not his.
Therefore, and unfortunately, one can take the conclusion that only if Catalonia becomes an independent state Bernabeu will not prohibit the Catalan language.
It is difficult to understand how on earth something like this can occur in a European country in the year 2011.
If you understand Catalan you can read it here:
http://www.racocatala.cat/forums/fil/141780/catala-prohibit-bernabeu-catalanofobia-no-racisme-pura-quotidianitat
If you understand Spanish you can read it here:
http://www.blaugranas.com/liga_de_campeones_el_catalan_prohibido_en_el_bernabeu-noticias_del_f_c_barcelona-ispyp-166621.htm
I did not find any English information on this matter.

Reason 26: Only way to ensure the promotion of Catalan culture and language

(In this image you can see the headquarters of Instituto Cervantes in Beijing, New York, Moscow, Belgrado, Vienna, and many other cities in the World).

An own state offers an excellent and stable base on which a country can promote its culture and its language (or languages). This stability gives support to thousands of artists, writers, singers, orchestras, theather groups, movie directors, etcetera.

One example is Spain. Spain, such as many other European countries, has a great institute to promote "Spanish culture and culture in Spanish language (see link 1). I must add to this sentence, that there isn't in fact such a thing as A Spanish language, as there isn't such a thing as A European language, or a Belgian language. It is not only wrong to speak of A Spanish language, it also shows the desire to assimilate all other cultures that are in this terrirory and make them disappear.
But the entire world believes them and they are satisfied with this misunderstanding they have created and keep alive.

With an own state, the Castillians and Castillian speaking communities of Spain, enjoy an amount of 103.000.000 euros a year to promote their language abroad.

This gives them great oportunities and supports thousands of their professionals all around the globe, only in their language and their culture, only to promote their language and their culture.

It would be reasonable, seen that 18% of the population of Spain speak Catalan, that 18% of this money would be spent to promote Catalan culture and language.

The Castillians enjoy with this institution huge buildings with headquarters in 78 cities around the globe.
Year after year they can support 3500 artists, writers, scientists, architects, etc.
They can finance every year:
2500 projections
500 cinema circles
450 concerts,
475 conferences,
375 exhibitions,
250 workshops on their culture,
and last but not least, a party called 'Dia del español', and with this they do not mean the day for the Spanish citizen, they mean it as a party for everyone who speaks their language. So, we catalans and our language are not invited. Nor are basque nor Galician.

The Spanish government increased last year Instituto Cervantes' budget. And this year, despite the serious financial crisis, they have ensured the same budget as last year.

Budget Instituto Cervantes the last 3 years in million euros:

2009 – 102,4
2010 – 103
2011 – 103

(links 2,3,and 4)

As you might know, Catalonia doesn't have a secure money source in order to support Catalan language and culture. Without an own state, every year we miss the oportunity to support and promote thousands of Catalan artists, writers, scientists, philosophers, actors, etc, who are interested to promote their culture and their language.

It is logical very few people know anything about Catalonia at all and come to Catalonia thinking they go to the country of Spanish language, Sangria and Flamenco.

The Catalan government has been able to spend 2,5 million euros a year in 2009 and also in 2010 for this purpose. (see link 5)

But this year this might be half of that if we are lucky. (link 6). The Catalan government must cut costs and they shall cut drastically on expenses on this matter. It is the world upside down that we are paying more than anyone in Spain, they get away with our money, we have to cut costs so that they can go on spending as if there was no crisis at all.

With an own state, we will be able to have our own cultural centres and promote our culture and language abroad. We shall be able to multiply at least 10 times our expenses on this matter.

This is a good reason, financial and cultural at the same time, to wish independence for Catalonia.


1
http://www.cervantes.es/sobre_instituto_cervantes/prensa/2011/noticias/discurso_plan_accion_cultural_2011.htm

2 “Instituto Cervantes no sufrirá recortes presupuestarios en 2011”
http://www.letralia.com/237/0722cervantes.htm

3
2009 - 102,4 milions d'euros
(source: http://www.finanzas.com/noticias/formacion/2008-10-06/48704_directora-instituto-cervantes-califica-presupuesto.html)

4
2010 – 103 milions d'euros
2011 – 103 milions d'euros
(source: http://noticierodiario.com.ar/el-instituto-cervantes-cumple-20-anos/).

5
Pressupost per a les comunitats a l'exterior (dedicades a promocionar la cultura i la llengua catalana)
2009 – 2,5
2010 – 2,5
2011 – ??
http://premsa.gencat.cat/pres_fsvp/AppJava/notapremsavw/detall.do?id=16373

6
http://www.directe.cat/noticia/114020/la-generalitat-comenca-les-retallades-per-les-comunitats-catalanes-a-l-exterior

Reason 25: Only way to have Tripadvisor in Catalan language

Long time ago I wrote an article about the worst hotels in Amsterdam. I gave an advice to my readers to check a hotel at Tripadvisor before booking. When I did I didn't even think of the possibility (actually the impossibility) of having Tripadvisor in Catalan language or being allowed to write comments in Catalan.

Well, Tripadvisor does have a policy for Catalan. It is forbidden, and any comment written with care and dedication in Catalan language is deleted!

A writer of my blog (http://blogs.ccrtvi.com/catalanspelmon.php?itemid=34034&catid=1259, only in Catalan) told me that this happened to her.

So I went to check their website and checked the languages they have. Well, Tripadvisor does not make a distinction per language but per independent country, and has chosen for the language of dominance. Perhaps this is the reason why there isn't a Tripadvisor of Belgium of Switzerland, there is no such a thing as the dominant language and they don't know how to cope with this.

It is strange. If I speak English and live in the UK, why should I go to the website of the UK? Most probable is that I will travel outside of the UK, to any country BUT the UK. So what is the use of having a web site for the UK? Is it for the traveller who goes to the UK? No.
A Spanish traveller who goes to the UK shall use the Spanish Tripadvisor, not the one of the UK.
What shall a Canadian user from Quebec do? He/she speaks French. The Canadian Tripadvisor is only in English. He/she shall have to go to the Tripadvisor from France (!?)
It is strange. In a global world in which languages do not coincide with independent countries , in which people travel from any point in the world to any point in the world, a division in languages would be much more efficient and logical than the division per independent country they have made, which is much more complicated and does not offer a clear benefit for the traveller from a specific country to another specific country.

But the fact is that only independent countries and even with much less inhabitants than the Catalan speakers (9,5 million) do have the right to have an own version of Tripadvisor. Norway, for example, with only 4,5 million inhabitants and very few hotels does have an own Tripadvisor. Catalan citizens, who more than double the population of Norway, are not only excluded from Tripadvisors, our comments in Catalan language are DELETED!.

The conclusion is again: An own state would solve this injustice at once. Independent states even with much less inhabitants do get the privilege of having a version of Tripadvisor in own language.

Reason 24: ONLY WAY TO BAN BULLFIGHTS AND GUARANTEE ITS PROHIBITION SHALL STAY

The Dutch press (and the press of most countries) often say that Catalonia already has a high degree of autonomy. This is a lie that must come from Madrid.
The Scots, the Greenlanders, the Quebecans... they have got real autonomy. Any time they wish to they can organize a referendum on the independence of their countries. The UK, Canada or Denmark don't ban their democratic rights as Spain is doing with Catalonia.

They are allowed to have their international sports federations and their athletes are allowed to participate under their national identities.
In Catalonia, we have nothing of this.

Now once again Spain shows that no law made in Catalonia is safe from the Spanish inquisition. Spain is planning to revoke the abolition of bullfights in Catalonia.
In 1991 they didn't seem to care when The Canary Islands banned bullfights. They tolerated the Canary Islands, but they do not tolerate Catalonia doing it.

Now again it is clearer and clearer: Catalonia does not have real autonomy, Spain revokes any law made in Catalonia if they don't like it and the abolition of bullfights in Catalonia won't be safe unless Catalonia becomes an independent country within the EU.

http://www.abc.es/20100728/cultura-toros/propondra-para-anular-prohibicion-201007281301.html

Reason 23: THE ONLY WAY TO SURVIVE (POST-ESTATUT FASE)

THANKS TO THE SPANISH INTOLERANCE WE HAVE FINALLY ONLY TWO CLEAR OPTIONS, WE EITHER ACCEPT TO BECOME SWALLOWED BY SPAIN OR WE CHOOSE FOR INDEPENDENCE

The story of the actual Catalan constitutional law (Estatut) is long. It all started in 2004. The former Catalan government felt the need to create a new constitutional law of Catalonia (Estatut), in which Catalans would describe how they want their country to be and what they want for their country.
The essential problem here is that Spain sees Catalonia as a mere region, not as a country. They will say just like any other region, in reality they see it a region to endlessly punish. Spain does not want Catalonia to be any different, neither to have any differences. They want to decide in what way Catalonia is being treated different, and they do not want us to decide, they decide.

The result has been 5 years of negotiations. The Estatut was first approved by the Catalan Parliament. The Spanish government did not agree with it and changed some things. Then there came a referendum. The Catalan citizens voted yes to this changed Estatut.
Right after that the PP (Spanish right wing party) and the figure of the defender of the people (read defender of the Castillian people, as he never has defended any Catalan people) brought the Estatut to court as they thought that it was against the Spanish constitution.

Now the Spanish Constitution Court has begun to show the results of the verdict:
1. Catalonia is not allowed to call itself a nation,
2. The Catalan language is not allowed to have any kind of preference in Catalonia,
3. Catalonia is not allowed to have an entity to control independently the laws created by the Catalan Parliament, they are always subject to Spanish supervision.
4. Catalonia loses the competence on the Catalan banks, only the Spanish government has control over banks.
5. Catalonia cannot take any decisions on the creation and supervision of Taxes. The Spanish government decides.
6. The historical rights of Catalonia are neglected. As Catalonia is not allowed to be a nation it can neither posess any national symbols such as a national flag or a national anthem.
7. Catalonia is not allowed to have any control or supervision on immigration and how to deal with it (the last 15 years the population of Catalonia has increased by 16%, from 6 to more than 7 million inhabitants, all thanks to a massive and uncontrolled immigration).
8. The Spanish government decides how Catalonia shall be structured in regions and councils.
9. Parents who want their children to fully study in Spanish language in Catalonia must be able to study in Spanish language (but if Catalan children in Spain want to study in Catalan that is not necessary).

There are more verdicts on the way, as the process is still ongoing. But the Catalan Estatut must include a text saying that Spain is indivisible. Apparently they are kind of sensing a tendency to secession, otherwise they would not force us to add this article.
--

The fact is that lately the spectrum of options were:
1. To stay and 'develop' Catalonia whitin Spain and the actual system of Autonomies.
2. To try to develop a federation of states whitin the Kingdom of Spain.
3. To try to get the so called 'Concert econòmic', status which Basque Country enjoys, in which the local Basque government is allowed to collect directly all taxes.
4. Independence.
--
Now the sentence by the Constitution Court has made things clear:
1. The actual system with regional autonomy governments is obsolete. Catalonia cannot go forward whitin this system, we are actually going backwards!
2. Catalan politicians who said that a Federal Spain would be a good idea have lost their credibility. Spain does not even want to give more autonomy within the actual regional system, so a Federal Spain is just impossible.
3. The Concert Econòmic is also impossible. If we are not allowed to even advance a millimeter in financial issues within the actual regional system to try to achieve full independent autonomy in the collection of taxes is unthinkable.

So, we either accept that Catalonia cannot be more than a discriminated Spanish region, and a region that is spoliated and mistreated, that our language cannot be fully recognized, that we are simply not allowed to participate to the Global economy as there are several laws that limit our range of possibilities, we either accept that we are Spaniards of a lower class, who pay more to get less, with no access to international competitions as Catalans in any cultural or sports events. We either accept all of this or we choose for independence.
Up till now there seemed to be (for some people, not for me) different options.
Today there are only two options left: The actual and total defeat or independence.
The clarity this has given is great, and the defeat of the autonomic system is also a great tool to show that Catalonia does not fit in Spain. No matter how hard we try.

REASON 22: ONLY WAY FOR THE CATALAN FILM INDUSTRY TO EXIST

One of the questions I ask to many people here when I explain why I want a Catalan state: Did you ever hear of the Catalan film industry? The answer is always NO.
If I ask them if they know anything on the Norwegian, Finish or Danish film industry the answer is always YES.
Why does a film industry of a region as Norway or Denmark with just 4,5 milion inhabitants international projection and the Catalan culture with 12 milion inhabitants has no international projection at all?
The only reason is that we do not have a state. And the states we are in (France and Spain) do not represent us, do not give us access to project our movies internationally. It all starts with asking for grants to make a movie. The Catalan film industry has a lack of access to the international platforms, but it already has disadvantage from the beginning: when asking for a grant for a movie in Spain it is forbiden to present the libreto in Catalan language, it must be in Spanish, even though 20% of the inhabitants of Spain speak Catalan at home.
Spain is not Switserland (who presents movies in all the languages that are spoken there) and it has no intentions to become like it. This year a Catalan actor tried to open the doors for the Oscars for Catalan movies without success.
I will only present here a reflection on one of the international platforms: The Oscars, but with all international platforms the same shit happens: no access for the Catalan film industry.
In theory if 20 % of the population of Spain speaks Catalan one on the 5 movies presented at The Oscars should be in Catalan language. We all know that never a Catalan movie has been presentedto represent Spain at the Oscars. And we all know this will never happen.
When Catalonia is an independent country:
we shall be able to send a movie to the Oscars every year!
We shall have a much higher amount of money to develop our own film industry, and nobody will question our right to spend this money in Catalan culture.
Catalan movie makers will not be in disadvantage any more to ask for grants.
The world will know about the Catalan film industry when we ask around the globe, as they know about something about the Danish or Finish movie industry.
Here is a list of the winners of the last 20 years for the best foreign movie. As you can see the spectrum of countries has changed ever since the USSR won in 1980.
Bosnia & Herzegovina would have never appeared in this list if it hadn't become an independent country, and the Czeck republic would still be together with Slovakia. Things change. They changed for Ireland, Finland, Norway, and later for several countries in Eastern Europe. More and more countries are becoming independent. This is the clear tendency we are going to.

1980 USSR
1981 HUNGARY
1982 SPAIN
1983 SWEDEN
1984 SWITSERLAND
1985 ARGENTINIA
1986 THE NETHERLANDS
1987 DENMARK
1988 DENMARK
1989 ITALY
1990 SWITSERLAND
1991 ITALY
1992 FRANCE
1993 SPAIN
1994 RUSSIA
1995 THE NETHERLANDS
1996 CZECH REPUBLIC
1997 THE NETHERLANDS
1998 ITALY
1999 SPAIN
2000 TAIWAN
2001 BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA
2002 GERMANY
2003 CANADA
2004 SPAIN
2005 SOUTH AFRICA
2006 GERMANY
2007 AUSTRIA
2008 JAPAN
2009 ARGENTINA
2010 ARGENTINA
.
.
.
2014 CATALONIA?

Reason 20: To break with Spanish fascism: independence (III)

Unfortunately I have to add two articles concerning to reason Nr. 20 that explains that Spain still is today packed with fascists.
The newspaper ABC in Seville allows death notices of Spains' last dictators Franco and Primo de Rivera. Not only that, they allow text in them that dignifies them.
20th November 2009, on the day both dictators passed away.
Such a death notice would be banned in any other democratic country in the World.
It is not so in Spain.
http://www.sms25.cat/noticia/1859/Ledicio_de_Sevilla_del_diari_ABC_encara_fa_apologia_del_franquisme
----
Last but not least,
Just a couple of days ago, a journalist from The National Spanish TV and Cadena Ser, was present in a fascist demonstration in Madrid in honour to Azul division, a fascist military division of Franco's regime that fought next to Hitler . He sung the fascist hymn 'Cara al Sol' among other fascist songs and he often attends fascist lectures from the fascist party Falange de las J.O.N.S., the party of Franco himself.
This kind of people occupy important positions in the highest Spanish authorities and national institutions such as the National Spanish TV channel.
http://www.sms25.cat/noticia/2145/Un_periodista_de_TVE_i_la_SER,_entre_els_assistents_a_una_concentracio_falangista_a_Madrid

Reason 20: To break with Spanish fascism: independence

I have never spoken about fascism because for me it seems something from the past, very far away from my life. Here in Holland, as well as in Catalonia, fascism merely exists in reduced groups of losers who try to find some kind of excitement in their lives by joining this kind of radical and anti-democratic ideas, but you will never find this kind of people in the power.

A year ago I was very shocked to see a documentary about German Nazis living in Fascist homes for elderly people in Madrid. I did not know that Franco welcomed Nazis in Spain after WW2, who found in Spain a fascist paradise and still today are living in their fascist paradise as if nothing had changed.

And unfortunately it seems that no so much has changed in Spain after all. During the last year I have encountered several news about people in power with either fascist ideas or a fascist past. Something you won’t find in any European country (with the exception of Austria).

They don’t say they are fascists, but act as fascist, have a fascist past and if you do a little search you discover several surprising connections with fascist organisations such as the political party of Franco himself, Falange de las JONS.

Some examples:

1. The king of Spain, Juan Carlos, was chosen by Franco himself. Still in 2005 he paid tribute to dictators Primo de Rivera and Franco in a lecture he gave. (article in Spanish: http://www.purnas.com/2009/08/13/agradeciendo-a-su-mentor-juan-carlos-i-y-el-generalisimo/)

2. The Spanish state was against the referendum for independence of Arenys the Munt (a village with only 8000 inhabitants) and wanted to prohibit it. They were not against the demonstration against the referendum organised by the fascist party of Francisco Franco himself, Falange de las J.O.N.S. So, in order to try to prohibit it they sent a lawyer from the government. This lawyer, Mr. Jorge Buxadé, has been, in the 90’s twice candidate of the fascist party Falange de las J.O.N.S.

(in Catalan: http://www.naciodigital.cat/?seccio=noticies&accio=veure&id=12003)

3. Still today Nazi Germans live in Spain in all freedom in Nazi homes. Franco welcomed them and they are still there.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/26/world/europe/26iht-nazi.html

4. The TSJC (Tribunal Superior Judicial de Catalunya), the highest judicial court of Catalonia, found it anti-democratic to want to prohibit a demonstration by the anti-democratic and fascist party Falange de las J.O.N.S. against the democratic referendum, organised by the people of Arenys the Munt and in which all citizens could vote yes or no (democracy). They did not find it anti-democratic that the Spanish government they represent tried to prohibit this peaceful referendum. This clearly explains the poor democratic vision of the Spanish authorities this court belongs to.

5. In Spain to burn a Spanish flag is prosecuted. To burn a Catalan flag is not prosecuted.

6. Also members of the Spanish Constitutional court (Tribunal Constitucional) appear to have important positions in the Franco regime as you can read here: (in Spanish: www.elplural.com, con el titular de "Un falangista en el Constitucional", el diario Público realizó ayer un extenso estudio sobre el pasado y el presente de uno de los jueces que conforman el Tribunal Constitucional. El magistrado Roberto García-Calvo destaca por su conservadurismo y su protagonismo en la provincia de Almería en la recta final de la Dictadura. De los duros Ultraconservador y reticente a la apertura del Régimen, García-Calvo se mantuvo en el cargo de Gobernador Civil entre abril de 1976 y marzo de 1977 en Almería –como también informó hace unos meses elplural.com. No obstante, en este breve período, García-Calvo dejó una fuerte impronta: varias huelgas reprimidas sin miramientos y un asesinato sin resolver, el del joven militante de la Joven Guardia Roja Javier Verdejo, abatido por la Guardia Civil cuando realizaba una pintada con espray. Represor Según puede leerse en el periódico dirigido por Nacho Escolar, cuando le dieron el aviso, el ahora juez del Constitucional García-Calvo estaba de cena en Cabo de Gata y se limitó a tomar otra copa. Sus reacciones posteriores se caracterizaron por la dureza de la represión contra las manifestaciones de protesta que tuvieron lugar en la provincia con motivo del asesinato del joven y su ciego apoyo a los guardias civiles implicados en el caso. "Más que negociar, amenazaba" Calificado por algunos sindicalistas de la época de "represor", el juez García-Calvo protagonizó más episodios violentos en las zonas más pobres de Almería, en una época durante la cual las huelgas se reproducían por toda España. Los tiempos comenzaban a cambiar, pero la evolución se detenía para algunos, como García-Calvo, que, "más que negociar, amenazaba". Ahora, "constitucionalista" Con un franquismo ya más que fenecido, García-Calvo se considera hoy "constitucionalista", al igual que muchos miembros del PP con un pasado ligado al régimen dictatorial. Un currículo que no levanta esperanzas de cara al futuro de las reformas progresistas emprendidas por el Ejecutivo de Zapatero, algunas de las cuales tendrán que pasar por el Tribunal Constitucional, al que el ex gobernador civil de Almería todavía pertenece.)

7. Partido Popular, the biggest right wing party of Spain, is either the first or the second biggest party in Spain. This party holds several pro-Franco members and it’s ideas are in line with fascism as a study shows here:

in Spanish: http://bgta.hollosite.com/blog/?p=685, explaining that the 14 main characteristics of fascism appear to be 14 main characteristics of the PP: http://www.ratical.org/ratville/CAH/fasci14chars.html


Another example: Franco was made as a symbolic gesture the Mayor of Salamanca for ever. And PP has decided not to abolish this Franco this honour, a clear gesture of pro-fascism and let Franco remain the Mayor of Salamanca for ever:
http://www.elpais.com/articulo/espana/Franco/continuara/alcalde/honorario/perpetuidad/Salamanca/elpepuesp/20070126elpepinac_12/Tes

PP was the only party not to condemn the fascist attacks made in Basque country agains war monuments that honour the victims of the Spanish civil war:
http://www2.noticiasdenavarra.com/ediciones/2009/08/25/sociedad/navarra/d25nav7.1699623.php

-------------------------------------------------------
No doubt there will be several more articles on this matter, but I think this is enough for now of this disgusting and bitter reality of who is in power in Spain.

The only country in Western Europe that has some similarities with Spain in this matter is Austria, country where fascism neither was punished properly in its time.

There is no doubt that to clean Spain from fascism is an almost impossible task. Almost impossible to realise by Spaniards themselves, completely impossible to achieve by Catalans or Basques.

The only and most effective way to get rid of fascism for us is independence. As long as Catalonia is under Spanish power, we will daily suffer under the fascist mentality that conditions our possibilities to grow and develop. Fascism is per definition an enemy of Catalonia and a friend of Spanish supremacy in Catalonia. Perhaps this is the reason why Spaniards are not interested in getting rid of it at all.
-------------------------------------------------------
Photos:
1. Franco with the Spanish king Juan Carlos
2. Jorge Buxadé, Spanish lawyer who was candidate for Falange de las J.O.N.S.
3. Hooligans of Real Madrid express their fascist ideas singing fascist songs, shouting against black football players and making fascist gestures with their arms.
http://draudesc.wordpress.com/2009/01/21/canticos-fascistas-en-el-bernabeu-y-3-latas-de-cerveza-en-el-camp-nou/

Reason 18: EUROPEAN SARDANA or The only way to defend our interests in the European parliament as any other European country

An independent state with 7 million inhabitants (Catalonia has 7,5 million from last week) has got approximately 17 parliamentarians.
Catalonia will have only 7 parliamentarians. This is way below what will belong to us when we are an independent state.
Not only if we compare the amount of parliamentarians with those of independent states we have a very low rate of representation in the European Chamber. Also if we compare Catalonia with other Spanish autonomous communities Catalonia has way too few.
You can check it out here (only in Catalan):

http://www.directe.cat/article/catalunya-estara-infrarepresentada-a-leurocambra-en-comparacio-amb-daltres-nacions-europee-14809

No wonder, all people who voted PSC-PSOE were actually voting for Spanish parliamentarians, not for Catalan parliamentarians, as the Spanish parliamentarians of PSC-PSOE have priority above the Catalan colleagues and so the Spanish ones are the ones who will actually move to Brussels.
Obviously this problem will only be solved the day that Catalonia becomes an independent state. 17 parliamentarians will defend our interests much better, not to mention that as an independent state we will have a voice with as much power as any other state. As for now, Catalonia is like a province and has no power what so ever in the decisions taken by the European Union, which is a union of states, and therefore Catalonia again does not exist.
Obviously this is a very important tool to defend our interests and with no doubt (unfortunately) I have to say that Spain never has and never will defend our interests, the contrary.

Reason16: THE ONLY WAY TO GUARANTEE FINANCIAL AID TO CATALAN ONG’S.

According to Xarxanet.com, in 2007 Catalans paid 40 million euros of IRPF-tax for social purposes (for ONG’s). Only 13 came back to Catalonia.
According to Cercle d’Estudis Sobiranistes, in 2008 we paid 47 million euros and only 17 came back. The rest was given to Spanish ONG’s.

But this is not enough: The Spanish government is preparing a new law that will exclude any ONG that is not operating in the whole Spanish territory from this subsidies. If this law goes through SPANISH ONG’s WILL GET ALL THE MONEY, CATALAN ONG'S WILL GET NOTHING.
The Catalan government hasn’t got any power of decision to stop this and can only complain to the Spanish one, who has all power of decision. The Spanish government might not go on with it. Whether this new law goes on or not Catalan ONG’s are and will be in disadvantage.

Spain has impeded our development ever since they took our sovereignty from us in 1714. Nothing makes me think this attitude will ever change. They are constantly seeking for ways to unify Spain, to break us into smaller parts, so that we can be more easily assimilated, to weaken us, so that we don’t speak, and Catalan ONG’s obviously are another way of doing this. I can imagine if Catalan ONG’s have no money they can do very little. And I can imagine this is a very easy way to exclude any ONG that fights for Catalonia without having to mention a word about it. Spanish nationalists are getting smarter by the day.

Whether this new law goes on or not, the independence of Catalonia is the only way to guarantee Catalan ONG’s to get financial support for the present and the future.
Source (in Catalan only): http://www.xarxanet.org/xarxanet/novetatsDetall.xarxanet?nov_novetatId=187307