Heads of EU member states condemn violence in Catalonia

Member States' leaders began condemning violence in Catalonia, where Spanish police forcefully tried to halt a referendum on independence, while European institutions still do not pronounce themselves.

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel broke first the silence.

"Violence can never be the answer. We condemn all forms of violence and confirm our call for dialogue," said Charles Michel, Twitter.

After Michel, the Prime Minister of Slovenia, Miro Cerar, announced: "I am worried about the situation. I call for political dialogue, the rule of law and peaceful solutions."

Amadeu Altafaj, a former spokeswoman for the European Commission and former head of the cabinet of former commissioner Olli Rehn, thanked Michele for breaking the wall of silence and invited Jean-Claude Juncker and Franz Timmerman Commission Vice President and Vice President to "intervene and protect Catalan citizens EU ".

The European Commission in recent days refused to declare the issue, stressing that the law should be upheld, which in fact stood on the side of Madrid, which does not recognize the legality of the referendum, because it would be implemented under the current Spanish constitution throughout the territory of the monarchy. The Spanish Constitutional Court also declared the referendum unlawful.

Other political leaders in Belgium also reacted to violence in Catalonia. The Belgian Deputy Prime Minister, a member of the strongest Flemish party, the New Flemish Union (NVA), Jan Jambon, "condemned violence that is unacceptable in the democratic process."

The president of the French Socialist Party (PS) Elio di Rupo pointed out that "nothing justifies the violence in the EU, whatever thoughts about the Catalan referendum".

• 1 Oct, 2017
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