CATALONIA -- “I am speaking about the Catalans”, Imants Parādnieks, Latvian MP
“I am speaking about the Catalans”, Imants Parādnieks, Latvian MP
Honourable Minister,
Dear Colleagues!
There is another important aspect to which I would like to draw your attention in today’s debate on foreign policy.
Our country’s foreign policy must reflect and respect the most
important principle of democracy. It is the principle which enabled us
to establish our own state of Latvia – it is the principle of
self-determination of nations. It is the fundamental legal basis, the
inherent fairness of which determined that the state created by the
Latvian people shall be independent and free.
Today, in the Europe of the 21st century, there is a nation that for
hundreds of years has confirmed its nationhood by its deep historical
and cultural roots, its own language and a unique identity. Much like
the Baltic nations in 1989, last September this nation joined hands in
the name of a noble and beautiful dream – their own independent state.
1.6 million people formed a living chain of almost 500 kilometres to
announce to the world: “We want to realize our basic right – our
nation’s right of self-determination.” Even in the Europe of the 21st
century there are people who doubt these rights.
I am speaking about the Catalans, whose
democratically elected parliament has announced a referendum on
independence on 9 November of this year. The highly-esteemed Georgetown
University has named this one of the most important foreign policy
events in 2014.
