Spain has been able to unilaterally push back against the Catalonia referendum because of the EU's reluctance to do anything meaningful about the crisis. Francisco Seco / AP
Spain has been able to unilaterally push back against the Catalonia referendum because of the EU's reluctance to do anything meaningful about the crisis. Francisco Seco / AP
Spain has been able to unilaterally push back against the Catalonia referendum because of the EU's reluctance to do anything meaningful about the crisis. Francisco Seco / AP
Spain has been able to unilaterally push back against the Catalonia referendum because of the EU's reluctance to do anything meaningful about the crisis. Francisco Seco / AP

Why the EU hasn't taken Madrid to task for its behaviour over the Catalan referendum


  • English
  • Arabic

Anyone still confused as to why Britain voted to leave the EU need look no further than the commission's inept handling of the Catalan people's attempt to hold an independence referendum.

One of the key issues that, in my view, persuaded millions of Britons to curtail their decades-old affiliation with the EU was their utter contempt for the unelected bureaucrats who run the organisation and who seem to have very little regard for the democratic will of ordinary people.

When the British complained, as they did regularly, about the increasingly invasive diktats that the EU imposed on Britain’s democratically elected parliament, EU officials merely shrugged their shoulders and said it was the price London must pay for having access to the EU’s deeply uncompetitive markets. The result was that the British people decided they had had more than enough of the EU’s meddling and voted to leave.

I would be the first to admit that the Catalan independence issue is very different to the Brexit vote. Catalan resentment at Madrid's insensitive treatment of their concerns dates back at least to the Spanish civil war in the 1930s, when the province became the focal point of the Republican crusade to defeat Nationalist leader Gen Francisco Franco.

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More recently, Catalans have been alienated by Madrid's roughshod treatment of their concerns, to the extent that momentum has grown for the region to seek independence from Spain, a move that has been bitterly resisted by the authorities in Madrid.

As a consequence, unlike the recent Scottish referendum on independence which was approved by the British government in London, last Sunday's Catalan vote was conducted without Madrid's authorisation.

And it was the fact that from Madrid's point of view, the referendum was technically illegal and unconstitutional that prompted the Spanish authorities to use force to prevent the ballot from taking place, with hundreds of protesters reportedly injured as riot police fired rubber bullets and used extreme violence against unarmed voters.

Irrespective of the constitutional niceties concerning the ballot, few can deny that the response of the Spanish authorities was heavy-handed and has brought shame upon the reputation of the Spanish government, which takes enormous pride in its membership of the EU.

And yet, rather than forcefully condemning Madrid's disgraceful mistreatment of Catalan civilians, what does the EU do? It issues a bland statement in support of Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy, saying the referendum was illegal, while making no criticism of the brutality meted out to Catalan voters by civil guard officers. Nor has it made any response to the appeal by Carles Puigdemont, Catalonia's president, for the EU to take an active mediating role in resolving the mounting stand-off between Barcelona, the Catalan capital and Madrid.

If ever a response exposed the moral bankruptcy that lies at the heart of the EU’s political establishment, this is it.

Up to 900 people have been injured, including a woman who claims her fingers were forcibly broken by national police officers as she tried to vote. The over-reaction of the Spanish authorities has resulted in the world witnessing some of the most violent scenes witnessed on the streets of Europe in recent years.

And yet, all the EU can do by way of response is to indulge in ineffectual hand-wringing.

For it is not as though this crisis has come from nowhere. Ever since the Catalan administration indicated it wanted to hold a referendum earlier this year, authorities in Madrid have sanctioned a series of bully-boy measures, such as arresting the more vocal Catalan proponents of the referendum vote and placing them in detention.

So why has EU president Jean-Claude Juncker appeared so determined to turn a blind eye to the appalling and shameful scenes of violence that have been visited upon the streets of Catalonia?

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More on separatism from Opinion

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One explanation lies in the Spanish government’s slavish devotion to the EU cause. Like many European countries for whom democratic government is a relatively new concept, membership of the EU is seen by Madrid as essential to maintaining both its economic and political stability. In return, the EU has contributed handsomely to Spain’s post-Franco economic development.

But another, altogether more troubling, concern lies at the heart of the EU’s muted response to the violence in Catalonia, namely that any attempt by the Catalans to achieve independence would be yet another blow to the EU’s own chances of survival.

The EU has made it clear to the Catalan authorities - as it did to the Scottish government in 2014 - that, if they did achieve their goal of independence, they would be obliged to leave the EU and reapply for membership.

But at a time when the EU is still struggling to come to terms with the implications of Britain's Brexit vote, to have another wealthy European region bidding adios to Brussels would be yet another bitter blow to the EU's own long-term chances of survival.

This is the real explanation for the EU’s failure to hold Madrid to account for its unacceptable behaviour, a policy I fear could ultimately backfire on Brussels.

The likes of Mr Juncker might be determined to preserve the EU at any cost, but the institution's reputation will not be well-served if its failure to resolve political tensions in Spain results in yet further acts of civil strike on the continent of Europe.

Con Coughlin is the Telegraph’s defence and foreign affairs editor

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Five hymns the crowds can join in

Papal Mass will begin at 10.30am at the Zayed Sports City Stadium on Tuesday

Some 17 hymns will be sung by a 120-strong UAE choir

Five hymns will be rehearsed with crowds on Tuesday morning before the Pope arrives at stadium

‘Christ be our Light’ as the entrance song

‘All that I am’ for the offertory or during the symbolic offering of gifts at the altar

‘Make me a Channel of your Peace’ and ‘Soul of my Saviour’ for the communion

‘Tell out my Soul’ as the final hymn after the blessings from the Pope

The choir will also sing the hymn ‘Legions of Heaven’ in Arabic as ‘Assakiroo Sama’

There are 15 Arabic speakers from Syria, Lebanon and Jordan in the choir that comprises residents from the Philippines, India, France, Italy, America, Netherlands, Armenia and Indonesia

The choir will be accompanied by a brass ensemble and an organ

They will practice for the first time at the stadium on the eve of the public mass on Monday evening 

Explainer: Tanween Design Programme

Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.

The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.

It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.

The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.

Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”

RESULTS

Lightweight (female)
Sara El Bakkali bt Anisha Kadka
Bantamweight
Mohammed Adil Al Debi bt Moaz Abdelgawad
Welterweight
Amir Boureslan bt Mahmoud Zanouny
Featherweight
Mohammed Al Katheeri bt Abrorbek Madaminbekov
Super featherweight
Ibrahem Bilal bt Emad Arafa
Middleweight
Ahmed Abdolaziz bt Imad Essassi
Bantamweight (female)
Ilham Bourakkadi bt Milena Martinou
Welterweight
Mohamed Mardi bt Noureddine El Agouti
Middleweight
Nabil Ouach bt Ymad Atrous
Welterweight
Nouredine Samir bt Marlon Ribeiro
Super welterweight
Brad Stanton bt Mohamed El Boukhari

Seven tips from Emirates NBD

1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details

2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet

3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details

4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure

5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs  (one-time passwords) with third parties

6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies

7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately

Play-off fixtures

Two-legged ties to be played November 9-11 and November 12-14

 

  • Northern Ireland v Switzerland
  • Croatia v Greece
  • Denmark v Ireland
  • Sweden v Italy
Company%20Profile
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How Filipinos in the UAE invest

A recent survey of 10,000 Filipino expatriates in the UAE found that 82 per cent have plans to invest, primarily in property. This is significantly higher than the 2014 poll showing only two out of 10 Filipinos planned to invest.

Fifty-five percent said they plan to invest in property, according to the poll conducted by the New Perspective Media Group, organiser of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition. Acquiring a franchised business or starting up a small business was preferred by 25 per cent and 15 per cent said they will invest in mutual funds. The rest said they are keen to invest in insurance (3 per cent) and gold (2 per cent).

Of the 5,500 respondents who preferred property as their primary investment, 54 per cent said they plan to make the purchase within the next year. Manila was the top location, preferred by 53 per cent.

The biog

DOB: March 13, 1987
Place of birth: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia but lived in Virginia in the US and raised in Lebanon
School: ACS in Lebanon
University: BSA in Graphic Design at the American University of Beirut
MSA in Design Entrepreneurship at the School of Visual Arts in New York City
Nationality: Lebanese
Status: Single
Favourite thing to do: I really enjoy cycling, I was a participant in Cycling for Gaza for the second time this year

ELIO

Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett

Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

While you're here
TOURNAMENT INFO

Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier

Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November

UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi

GROUP RESULTS

Group A
Results

Ireland beat UAE by 226 runs
West Indies beat Netherlands by 54 runs

Group B
Results

Zimbabwe tied with Scotland
Nepal beat Hong Kong by five wickets

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets