Prague, Oct 1 (CTK) – The European Commission should condemn the Spanish police action against voters in the independence referendum in Catalonia which is brutal and will strengthen separatists, Czech MEPs told Czech Television (CT) on Sunday.
The view was expressed by Pavel Svoboda (Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL), Katerina Konecna (Communists, KSCM) and Stanislav Polcak (Mayors and Independents, STAN).
“The Spanish government is shooting in its own leg. By using a brutal method, though it may be to support the current state of affairs under constitutional principles, it exaggerates its efforts,” Svoboda said. P
He said problems with democracy were not only in Hungary or Poland.
“Now Spain seems to be joining this. This is something distant from the regular working of democracy.”
Polcak, too, said the steps by the Spanish police had crossed the line.
“It is impossible to shoot with rubber bullets at the voters carrying ballot papers. To me, it is like pictures from Russia, these are perhaps no pictures from Spain in 2017,” Polcak said.
The reaction by the Spanish police was exaggerated and the European Commission should denounce it, he added.
Konecna said she agreed, adding that she presumed that the European Parliament would also adopt a stance condemning the affair at its forthcoming session.
She said she was surprised at German Chancellor Angela Merkel or French President Emmanuel Macron not yet having condemned the Spanish police action.
Konecna said the policy of the Spanish government was very short-sighted.
“This may only result in a tremendous anger of extremist groups,” she added.
Svoboda said he agreed with this.
“I am afraid that this will push undecided voters to the embrace of the separatists. The people who were hesitating may not have come to the polling stations,” he added.
Former president Vaclav Klaus also condemned the events in Catalonia.
“We consider it unacceptable for any government to abuse armed forces, violence and repressions to suppress those who want to freely express their views,” Klaus said in a joint press release with his collaborators, calling on the European Commission to denounce the violence.
