29/10/2017 00:00
An independent Catalonia would have problems surviving because it is not a member of the European Union and it would have to set up borders and sign trade agreements from scratch. This comment was made on British television on Friday night shortly after Catalonia declared its "independence" from Spain.
9 comments
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Can anyone tell me please if Sineu Market is on on All Saints Day 1st?
Better together in the EU ?. Perhaps even better to be with the 167 other countries in the world rather than the rather inward looking EU.
Catalonia leaving the EU is way more complicated than Britain leaving the EU. Firstly Britain had a fully democratic referendum, Catalunya did not, so there will be a lot of Catalans fighting against it..Britain and the EU are negotiating so at least try to ensure that Brexit is as orderly and consensual as possible, and the biggy is that of course the UK has it's own currency, and central bank. If Catalan independence is recognised at some point by the EU it will immediately have to establish it's own currency and central bank, and the have to deal with the almost immediate devaluation of that currency, and the inevitable bank runs that will receed it. It will also have to deal with the literally millions of contracts it will have signed, and be required to honour that are denominated in Euros. Leaving Spain is going to look like the easy bit compared with leaving the EU and single currency.
Will - I'm sure the Editor understands the process of a democratic vote, but if he feels the result will lead to problems for the UK then the other side of democracy is that he's free to state his misgivings. The vote was clouded by misinformation and downright lies from both sides. It was such a sea-change vote affecting us all that it would have been sensible to set a minimum percentage yes/no amount beforehand: this was a no-going-back decision, quite different from a General Election vote where we can change our minds within 5 years if the current incumbents screw it up.
I am struggling to appreciate why the Editor can't grasp how a democratic vote works. In the UK, legal, referendum, people who voted to leave the EU had a majority vote. It's simple the one with the most votes wins. Just because you don't agree does not alter the decision.
S, the referendum just held in Catalonia did NOT express the opinion of the majority of the people, only that of the ones who wanted independence.The majority of the Catalans did not vote, as it was firstly illegal, and not done using recognised and non biased methods.
This editor is like all the other doom and gloom merchants can’t think for himself needs everyone else with guts to take on the challenge so he can reap the benefits too spineless to do it themselves ,
The difference is that the UK is recognized as a legal state,Catalonia has and will not be recognized as a legal state if they breakaway from Spain.
Wheres I understand the Editors Comment and reasoning , it is not what the majority of people in Great Britain and Catalonia want. What the majority are/have voted for, must be accepted. To contradict the majority, and impose penalties etc. , could and will result, in serious repercussions .