Norway involved in Basque ceasefire
Corocotta
Active member
The ETA had already a ceasefire in Catalunya, another spanish province.
Spain is divided in 17 Autonomic Communities. Each of them have their own Parlament and something similar to a Constitution. A few days ago the "Constitution" of Catalunya was reformed giving them almost the independance. Now they have their own judicial sistem, they control almost 90 % of the taxes and the most important, in the article number one of the "Constitution" Catalunya is declareted a NATION :-x This opens the Pandora´s box to independance. ETA was very interested in the reformation of this Constitution, because they want the same for the Basque country. The reformation of this Constituion and the denomination of Catalunya as a Nation is part of the political price that Zapatero had to pay for this truce.
This is the situation in Spain now, quite caotic.
If Zapatero wants to keep this ceasefire will have to:
- Stop the police & judges catching terrorists.
- Accept a referendum in the Basque country.
- Re-legalize the ETA political party (Batasuna), now it is legalized a political party very similar (PCTV) = Comunist Party of the Vasque Land.
Obviously if he accepts all of this he will lose the elections in 2008.
Spain is divided in 17 Autonomic Communities. Each of them have their own Parlament and something similar to a Constitution. A few days ago the "Constitution" of Catalunya was reformed giving them almost the independance. Now they have their own judicial sistem, they control almost 90 % of the taxes and the most important, in the article number one of the "Constitution" Catalunya is declareted a NATION :-x This opens the Pandora´s box to independance. ETA was very interested in the reformation of this Constitution, because they want the same for the Basque country. The reformation of this Constituion and the denomination of Catalunya as a Nation is part of the political price that Zapatero had to pay for this truce.
This is the situation in Spain now, quite caotic.
If Zapatero wants to keep this ceasefire will have to:
- Stop the police & judges catching terrorists.
- Accept a referendum in the Basque country.
- Re-legalize the ETA political party (Batasuna), now it is legalized a political party very similar (PCTV) = Comunist Party of the Vasque Land.
Obviously if he accepts all of this he will lose the elections in 2008.
Corocotta
Active member
As I said before the only political concession at the moment is the reformation of the Constitution of Catalunya , but this was before the truce. ETA is interested in this because they want the same reformation for the Basque country, they also want to be called a Nation. The Gobernment has been negociating with ETA for two years.
In the near future terrorist will start coming out of jail, but no yet. For the moment no further concessions. I will Keep informing.
In the near future terrorist will start coming out of jail, but no yet. For the moment no further concessions. I will Keep informing.
Whispering Death
Active member
Well, good job for the Norwegians, this has been a conflict in which too much blood has been spilt over too little IMHO.
Thanks for the information Corocotta but do we have some coroborating sources on the "concessions" spain made? I find it hard to believe they agreed to call the region a 'nation', wouldn't that hit the international press?
Thanks for the information Corocotta but do we have some coroborating sources on the "concessions" spain made? I find it hard to believe they agreed to call the region a 'nation', wouldn't that hit the international press?
Corocotta
Active member
Here you have a link. I do not understand either why the international press does not talk about this. The spanish are very concerned with the direction Zapatero is taking.
Click Here
The first part of the political price is this Statute from catalunya. Why? Because ETA wants the same for the Basque country and once one comunity has it it will be lots easier for other ones to get it. If you know spanish I can give you a few more links. After these comes the excarcelation of terrorists, a referendum for the Basque country and the who knows.....
Click Here
The first part of the political price is this Statute from catalunya. Why? Because ETA wants the same for the Basque country and once one comunity has it it will be lots easier for other ones to get it. If you know spanish I can give you a few more links. After these comes the excarcelation of terrorists, a referendum for the Basque country and the who knows.....
Corocotta
Active member
Spain's parliament is preparing to vote on a definitive version of a proposal from Catalonia's regional government for more independence.
The progress of this autonomy plan is thought to have influenced the announcement of the permanent ceasefire by the armed Basque separatists Eta.
Supporters see it as evidence of how the constitution can satisfy separatist demands through political negotiation.
The vote in the lower house of parliament is likely to be close.
Once approved, the measures that include more local Catalan control over finances and the judiciary are technically available to every other Spanish region.
The dialogue with the national government that has allowed this greater independence plan to prosper stands in contrast to the long history of violent struggle in the Basque region.
But the timing of the Eta declaration could have been influenced by the progress of this Catalan proposal.
The announcement of a permanent Eta ceasefire came just days after Spain's constitutional commission approved the use of the word "nation" in the preamble to Catalonia's autonomy document.
The word "nation" is held very dear by separatists all over Spain. But the Catalan plan also has strong opposition.
Public vote
The vote in the national parliament is likely to be close.
Detractors of the proposal say it goes too far and will cause the break-up of the Spanish state.
The opposition Popular Party has already tried to stop the plan by filing a legal suit in Spain's constitutional court. But this Catalan project is now in a definitive phase.
It is expected that Catalonians will have the opportunity to vote on a final document in June.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4860244.stm
The progress of this autonomy plan is thought to have influenced the announcement of the permanent ceasefire by the armed Basque separatists Eta.
Supporters see it as evidence of how the constitution can satisfy separatist demands through political negotiation.
The vote in the lower house of parliament is likely to be close.
Once approved, the measures that include more local Catalan control over finances and the judiciary are technically available to every other Spanish region.
The dialogue with the national government that has allowed this greater independence plan to prosper stands in contrast to the long history of violent struggle in the Basque region.
But the timing of the Eta declaration could have been influenced by the progress of this Catalan proposal.
The announcement of a permanent Eta ceasefire came just days after Spain's constitutional commission approved the use of the word "nation" in the preamble to Catalonia's autonomy document.
The word "nation" is held very dear by separatists all over Spain. But the Catalan plan also has strong opposition.
Public vote
The vote in the national parliament is likely to be close.
Detractors of the proposal say it goes too far and will cause the break-up of the Spanish state.
The opposition Popular Party has already tried to stop the plan by filing a legal suit in Spain's constitutional court. But this Catalan project is now in a definitive phase.
It is expected that Catalonians will have the opportunity to vote on a final document in June.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4860244.stm