We are all Europeans

I welcome the announcement that there will be non-Spanish European Union candidates standing for the local elections this summer. In Calvia, there are three non-Spanish candidates and I am sure that it will be a trend repeated in other municipalities who have a large “foreign community.” When the Maastricht Treaty was signed and when we got the vote this was the idea, in other words Europeans with equal rights in all member countries. However, I sincerely hope that these non-Spanish candidates will not be given the title (if they are elected of course) of councillors for the foreigners.” This will only add to the so-called ghetto feeling and give an impression of them and us. In areas such as Calvia it is very important that non-Spanish Europeans are represented on the council because it is vital that the cosmopolitan mix is reflected. If the dream of European integration is to succeed then our elected politicians must represent all from Majorcans, to mainlanders to other Europeans. Naturally, language is a problem with a large number of European Union expatriates not speaking Spanish but it would be nice to see the non-Spanish councillors, and I say again if they are elected, undertaking tasks which are relevant to all and I don't mean attending cricket matches. Cricket matches are a focal point of the English speaking community in Calvia but it doesn't automatically mean that they should become the exclusive of the “foreign candidate.” At the next local elections there are no foreigners voting, just Europeans. Let us hope that the mainstream parties take this into account and I would like to see councils for all and not divided into segments depending on nationalities.