IS CATALONIA THREATENED BY THE SPANISH ARMY?

Well, before continuing let me say that me, personally, rightly or wrongly, I do not feel at all threaten by the Spanish military. I just feel as if I was inside a war of words between Catalonia and Spain.

Some minutes ago I have read in Gulf Times (not my usual source of news! Maybe my first visit to that website!) the news that four parliamentarians from Catalonia has asked almost for preventive action to the EU against Spain as there is a kind of threat from Spanish military to Spain.

I feel it maybe a bit unfortunate this letter but let tell to the world that some days ago some politician from Brussels said something that was not precisely a source of calm for Catalan people. I am talking about Vidal-Quadras.

So I do not know what to think. It is true that some military also said some words that could be consider as a threat of intervention but in no case these threats were coming from the president of Spain or the King of Spain or the army in general! What I mean is that I am afraid now we are giving the feeling to the outside world as if Catalonia was in a terrible threat from the malevolous Spanish military forces and I really DON’T THINK THIS IS THE CASE AT ALL! I would only be afraid if the presidnet of Spain or the king of Spain threaten Catalonia. Just because an eccentric parlamentarian and some people from the army have said some very unfortunate comments I do not feel threatened at all by Spain.

I think that back in Spain and Catalonia we should be very careful because at one point Madrid and Barcelona will have to agree in something and the more we quarrel the worse image we give to the world.

In any case, once said that I do not think at all that Spanish army is a threat at all for Catalonia (in fact in an independent catalonia maybe the best to cut expenses would be to have the same army Catalonia and Spain!) I think that it is time the international community realises that Spain and Catalonia need not just economical help but also political help! WE HAVE A BIG PROBLEM BETWEEN MADRID AND BARCELONA and we cannot find a common ground!!!!!

We in Catalonia want to have a referendum to decide whether we remain in Spain or not. In Madrid they just don’t want that so they put as excuse the Spanish constitution. It is obvious that the constitution is an excuse because they could change it if they thought Catalonia should decide their own future. So incontrast with the smooth path in the UK with Scotland here we are just in a situation that can only go worse! It is very necessary that Europe does something! Only that Europe said the amount that Catalonia has to give to the rest of Spain as solidarity I think it could bring some peace. Because Catalonia is a wealthy part of Spain and we have been giving solidarity for decades to Spain and now we do not have money for ourselves! And we even have to ask money from Spain. Do you imagine Germany asking money from Spain? Well, for us people in Catalonia is outrageous that we have to ask money to Spain because we do not have because we have to give so much in solidarity! (let me say too, however, that I understand a bit too that Spain is in a bad situation so that it is not a very good time to accept less solidarity from Catalonia but I feel that now in Catalonia we have the feeling we have reaced a limit of what solidarity should be!)

The European Union must realize that the States of the European Union will break apart if something faire is not done. Tomorrow can be Sctland. Catalonia next. Venice tomoorow. I am not in favour or against independence. I am just again this happening in a crazy way! Europe should do all the necessary so that Catalonia receives a fair treatment from Madrid. The solidarity between territories should be a European thing to decide! And if Europe cannot stop the states to break apart then it must do all possible so that the new states and the ones who break can find in the EU a place to meet and try to live as neighbours!

Europe should not allow, for example, that Spanish government threatens Catalonia to be out of the European Union if we vote for independence! The idea behind Europe is to unite . Not to threaten people to be outside Europe!

Related articles

• Spanish Military Threatens Treason As Catalonia Seeks Secession Referendum (sgtreport.com)
• Spanish Military Threatens Treason As Catalonia Seeks Secession Referendum (zerohedge.com)

SPAIN INTERVENES CATALONIA

As I am wrtiting this post on July 16th 2012 Spain has not yet intervened Catalonia but I read that the president of Catalonia is afraid that Spain may intervene Catalonia.

If this happens I am afraid that it is very going to be very difficult for anyone in Catalonia to want to be part of Spain anymore.

A lot of the Catalan taxes go to the rest of Spain as solidarity. So with less solidarity Catalonia would not have so much deficit. If you add to this that Catalonia was the first to make cuts it is very unfair that Spain intervenes Catalonia. In fact it would be more logical the opposite!  If Spain intervenes Catalonia it would be as if Spain intervenes Germany. As I said in Catalonia we have had cuts much longer than in the rest of the state because in Catalonia we had a change of government before the elections in Spain. It is true that our deficit is the biggest one in Spain but it is true that we pay much more to the rest of the state that we receive!

Europe should look carefully to what is going on inside Spain and see that the central government is still spending money in high speed trains. I just have heard than in the US are starting to build the high speed train structure. So in Spain we have been the last decades living as the new rich! Even Barack Obama mock this aspect of Spanish high speed extravagance.

In any case if Spain intervenes Catalonia would be total chaos in Catalonia. I, who do not like to protest through the streets usually, I even imagine myself protesting. Besides, if Spain intervenes Catalonia this would make that a lot of people in Catalonia would see independence as the only solution.

Whatever it happens I would prefer Catalonia be ruled directly from Berlin than from Madrid.

I WANT SPAIN TO BE RULED FROM BERLIN

One of the saddest things that can happen is to wish to be ruled from abroad. But when the ones ruling you have no credibility at all then this is the only option left.

So, yes, I want to be ruled from Europe. Say Brussels or even say Berlin. But this is the way I feel.

I cannot stand to be rools by fools.

Some days ago Spain received a rescue for its banks. The incompetent president of Spain, WHO DOES NOT SPEAK ENGLISH IN CONTRAST WITH GREEK POLITICIANS like SAMARAS OR PAPANDREUS, instead of telling to the Spaniars that we were in a critical position and that we would have to implement hards measures so that the partial measures did not end in a total bailout well he did the oppoite!
He showed the bailout as a victory for Spain. He even showed off of having get a bargain so that even Syriza used his words to increase number of votes!
Recently Europe and the IMF are asking to cut wages to civil servants and increase VAT. In Catalonia, our president, WHO SPEAKS ENGLISH, already cut wages to civil servants. So, in typical SPANISH CHULERIA, Rajoy has said no to the proposals coming from Europe and the IMF.

So today the risk premium of Spanish bonds has already reach 570 points!

So I have the feeling that the Spanish government is not governing in favour of Spain but against! If you add to this that the king is known worldwide for hunting elephants you can imagine how frustrated I am.

So I know that if Spain is intervened the conditions will be very hard. But what else can I want? To be ruled by a bunch of Spanish fools?

It is as if we were going to the top of a mountain. Under the rule of Angela Merkel we will have to drink litlle water and we will be very thirsty. On the other hand with Mariano Rajoy he will let us drink water as much as we want so that we are happy. But who will reach the GIPFEL? With Angela will be very hard but at least we know we must drink little water so that we have something to drink until we reach the top. With Mariano Rajoy we will be without water almost even before we start walking.

This is the sad truth. I prefer an evil foreign German stepmother that a supposedly friendly but unaccountable Spanish father. I wish of course I could have more options to choose. But I want the best for the people in Catalonia and Spain and I feel that under the rule from Madrid we are heading to a total crash. With Angela we may die too as she is too austere but at least you know what you are required! With Mariano Rajoy the only requirement is to be too a fool.

SO EUROPE, PLEASE INTERVENE SPAIN. DO NOT LET THE EURO COLLAPSE BECAUSE SPAIN IS RULED BY SUCH A BUNCH OF FOOLS.

BACK TO SPAIN …

Some hours after we knew the results from Greece I realised that it was time to write again about what I was writing these last days. No just Greece but the problems we were having in Spain. And so I thought to write a post with the title BACK TO SPAIN.
Unfortunately it is not only the posts of THE.CAT that return back to Spain … The eyes of the markets have returned too back to Spain!
Some minutes ago the Spanish Premium Risk was 665 points!

So I feel like crazy. These lasts days I have said that Spain should immediately cut civil servant wages (AS CATALONIA HAS ALREADY DONE!!) and increast VAT. The Spanish government said NO to that! And the worst of it is that it gave no reasons to say not.

I am very angry with the Spanish government. It is obvious that the markets do not trust Spanish government! If I was an investor I would not trust Spanish government either! How can anyone trust a government that rejects the advice from Europe that says CUT WAGES AND INCREASE TAXES and you do not do nothing! IT IS OUR RESPONSABILITY TO DO WHAT IS NEEDED! IT IS CRAZY THAT WE HAVE WAITED TO BE TOLD FROM OUTSIDE. AND TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY NOT ONLY WE HAVE WAITED TO BE TOLD … WE NOT EVEN DO WHAT WE ARE TOLD!

I know that if Spain is intervened a lot of people in Spain will be angry but I am so fed up to be ruled by a government without a credibility that I prefer to be in the hands of Angela Merkel! How sad to say that! But the Spanish government lcks so much credibility that it is better to be intervened! I WANT TO BE RULED FROM BRUSSELS! I DON’T WANT TO BE RULE BY A MAN THAT SYAS THAT SPAIN WILL SURVIVE AND AT THE SAME TIME DOES NOTHING FOR IT TO SURVIVE!

I am so frustrated with Spanish politicians that I prefer to be under the rule from Berlin. How sad to say this! How sad to say this!

SOS EUROPE! SOS EUROPE! SOS EUROPE! PLEASE INTERVENE SPAIN! PLEASE INTERVENE SPAIN! PLEASE INTERVENE SPAIN! PLEASE INTERVEE SPAIN!

IT IS NOT POSSIBLE THAT TO MAKE HAPPY THE SPANISH CIVIL SERVANTS THE SPANISH GOVERNMENT IS PUTTING IN RISK A WHOLE COUNTRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IN CATALONIA WE CUT THE WAGES OF CIVIL SERVANTS. IT IS CRAZY THAT WE DID AND SPAIN NOT AND LESS WHEN EUROPE AND IMF AND THE RISK PREMIUM GIVE NO OTHER OPTION!

IT IS CRAZY THAT THE SPANISH GOVERNMENT IS ALWAYS WAITING FOR THE LAST MOMENT TO REACT! THIS IS AGAINST SPANISH CREDIBILITY!!!

LOOK AT GREECE. SARAMAS SPEAKS ENGLISH. PAPANDREOU SPEAKS ENGLISH. HERE MARIANO RAJOY DOES NOT SPEAK ENGLISH. PLEASE EUROPE. INTERVENE US!

GERMANY FINDS A GOOD SOLUTION FOR SPAIN

Today I feel good vibrations in local media in Catalonia. A solution has been found for Spain it seems. The solution is to adapt the bailout to Spain so that the Eurozone can sleep at night and so can Spaniards too!

As we know in Greece the bailout has been a disaster. Bad images from Greece and even German tourists avoiding going there.

So the solution seems to be to give Spain a soft bailout so that it seems that we are still under control. In brief, that the conditions for Spain won’t be so tough.

I find this solution quite satisfactory because it is good for Europe that the eurozone has one less problem and it is good for Spain because the current Mariano Rajoy can still remain as the captain of the ship. And it is not a question of being more proud or not! it is very good for Europe that Spain has its own captain! This helps that in Spain the frustration remains inside and that tourists from around Europe can come here and be welcome as always! If Spain had had a typical bailout then we would have the same that Greece: HOSTILITY AGAINST THE COUNTRY OF ANGELA. So, with a soft bailout, the UE main goal (brotherhood between the Europeans!) is preserved, the euro is strengthen and Spaniards may seem as a victory what in fact is a defeat!

So, in Europe sometimes the things are done in a right way. If a country needs help. Help is given. If this help must be given in a way that it does not cause bad feelings a remedy is found!

It is weird! Some hours ago I was very frustrated. I saw myself almost as outside Europe. Now it seems all the opposite. Thank You to Angela Merkel the future of Spain is again inside Europe. Germany has chosen Spain as its partner again.

For my part, THE.CAT wants to say tahnk you to the German chancellor. It is nice to know that you are not alone in the world. Germany has saved Spain. Tahnk You, Angela. Danke.

In any case, I hope Germany is wise enough to look very carefully that in Spain things are done in a right way.

 

 

WHAT DOES THE UK AND FRANCE THINK ABOUT AN INTERVENTION OF SPAIN?

Molière and Shakespeare remain quite silent about a possible intervention of La Mancha of Don Quixote and the rests of lands around La Mancha.

We read in the news that Japan finds that Spain has a fatal arrogance by not asking a bailout. We also read that there are romours that Germany is putting pressure in Spain to ask for a bailout.

But as far as I know FRANCE and the UNITED KINGDOM remain silent!

So, this is a bit sad because it is as if SPAIN was just having a private dance with GERMANY. And the rest of Europe were just simple expectators!

It says volumes about the strength of Germany that it can tell Spain what to do (secretly) and we may like that or not but we do not get crazy about that. It does not sound so strange that Germany says something.

But be aware that pressure from France or the United Kingdom will be nonsense. “Who are they to tell us what to do? would be the first thought in Spain. But with Germany is different.

So this is strange because these lasts months a relation of love/hate towards Germany has been created between some eurozone countries and Germany. It is as if we were very afraid of Germany ruling our lives and at the same time we would love help from Germany.

But as Spain is news around the world for a possible bailout to its banks I have not heard a voice from France or the United Kingdom.

It is as if France and the United Kingdom wanted to remain neutral.

In Portugal people are afraid that Spain may need a bailout because they fear this would bring more problems to Portugal that has already been bailout.

France is also silent but I am sure that a possible bailout of Spain cannot be welcomed in Paris. Spain and France share the wonderful Pyrenees and if Spain is intervened this means that France is closer to the problematic side of Europe.

The United Kingdom and Spain have a history of confrontation for the domain of the seas some centuries ago. But there is also some love. I WILL NEVER FORGET GEORGE ORWELL. HE CAME TO CATALONIA TO FIGHT FOR THE SPANISH REPUBLIC. And myself, I feel so much admiration for the British. I like England and Scotland very much.

I forgot to mention ITALY. I have the feeling we in Spain are now unhappy with Italy. Some months ago Italy seemed to be in a worse situation that Spain and now we see that Italy is not news and Spain is news everywhere. In any case it is the feeling that the Italians are like brothers that we may feel a little sad that we are the ones now in the bad position.  It is bad news that we are worse than Italy but it will be still worse than Italy and Spain were both bad news. So I wish the best to Italy. What a wonderful language and what nice people I know from Italy.

Some decades ago Spain was a dictatorship. Europe was one thing and Spain was another. SPAIN WAS DIFFERENT. Now, if Spain is intervened I am afraid we return back to the dark ages of Spain.

I would like that, as in a miracle, I could now meet all the people I have known from Europe. What would they tell me? France is now silent but I am sure that my French friends would tell me something. Now I almost want to cry as I remember the sweetest people I have known from France.

Sometimes I think that the problem we had in Spain is that the change from pesetas to euros was quite a change. What is was 1000 pesetas then it became 6 EUROS. So we had the feeling that everything was cheap.

All the world is currently looking at Spain and wondering what we are going to do next. Mariano rajoy, the president of Spain, must do something that people in Spain can understand. To resist is easy to understand.

Maybe people in the world begin to think that Spain is been crazy as it does not ask for a bailout. Today I read that Cyprus may ask for a bailout. So it seems as if the most normal thing to do is to ask a bailout when you need it.

But Spain cannot ask for a bailout. It is not because it is too proud to do that. it is because if Spain does not ask a bailout it can feel as a basic part of  Europe. And a basic part of Europe cannot ask for a bailout! A basic part of Europe must be a place where other countries can rely on.

Spain, in not asking a bailout, is not been a fatal proud country. It is showing to Portugal and France that we will do all we can so that they can have the good news of not having a neighbour that has a bailout. In the case of Portugal that is important because if your country is bailout and the country next door is also bailout then you seem like been far from the wealthy part of Europe. And for France it would always be better to have countries that are stable. It would be very bad for France to have in the north a neighbour that hates the euro, a neighbour in the east that just is the one to obbey and one in the south that cannot be of any help at all.

So, when Spain does not ask for a bailout it is paying a high price not just for Spain but for the image of Europe and for Portugal, France and even Italy.

If Spain asks for a bailout then the who says that the next is not Italy and then even France as the domino effect goes on and on?

Spain should set an example. No big country in Europe should in fact be allowed to ask for a bailout! If a country goes bankrupt then it should take responsability for that.

See what has happened in Greece. There is a bailout and are the Greek happy? Not at all! Money from Europe is going to Greece to pay the debts they have and Greek are not happy. In fact extreme parties have been born? This is what Europe needs in Spain?

The Greek experience tells us that a bailout can be bring chaos. So I think that the idea of Mariano Rajoy is not so bad! First, we have no demonstrations in the streets asking for a bailout! Resisting a bailout makes Spaniards feel stronger and better. That is what Europe needs!

Some decades ago the dictator of Spain close the border of Gibraltar. That was a very big mistake because it made the people of Gibraltar to be more closer than ever. So I think that with opposing th ebailout is the same! It is obvious that without a bailout Spain is in a very hard situation but this resistence creates the right atmosphere to fight all together for one cause! If we have this problem in Spain now is because until now we had been very individualistic!

This crisis has told me that even if one is individualistic by nature it is important to care a lot about the society and institutions that are related to you.

THE.CAT does not want to be a slave of EUROPE. So I do want a bailout …

WHAT THE BRITISH WOULD DO IF THEY WERE IN SPANISH SHOES

As you may know Spain is in one of its worst situations of the last decades. So I have found a way to solve this difficult stuation. It is quite easy to think and quite difficult to implement!

The idea is very easy: imagine what the British would do in this case and do the same!

So, imagine that the UK was in a very bad situation and nobody lends then money.

What would they do?

Ask for help from Brussels of Berlin? NEVER!

The British are wise people and now that if they accept help from Brussels then they lose the best thing that a country can enjoy: FREEDOM.

So, I would do the following:

1. NOT ASK FOR HELP FROM EUROPE

2. DO SOMETHING SPECIAL SO THAT PEOPLE IN SPAIN CAN PUT THEIR SAVINGS TO HELP THE COUNTRY! THE ITALIANS DID SOMETHING SIMILAR

3. TRY TO UNITE THE COUNTRY BY BEEN FAIR WITH PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT KIND OF PEOPLE AND THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE STATE.

4. ACT AS IN AN EMERGENCY. SPAIN SHOULD ACT AS IF THERE HAD BEEN AN EARTHQUAKE OR SO.

The situation in Spain is so hard that only creating STRONG FEELING OF TRYING TO SAVE OURSELVES CAN SAVE US!

In Catalonia we should do too all we can so that Spain is not asking for a bailout as we would be more dependent from outside Catalonia. What Catalonia should make very clear to the rest of the state is that after the storm ends SELFDETERMINATION IS NOT A POSSIBILITY. IT IS A MUST.

Thanks to the rivalry between Madrid and Barcelona we have two of the best football teams. Let’s use that rivalry for our benefit! Let Catalonia try to resist the bailout on its own! Let the rest of Spain try to resist the bailout on its own too!

Catalonia has a big opportunity to save Spain. Catalonia is the strongest part of the state. If Catalonia can help Spain try to be independent from Brussels I am sure that one day Catalonia could choose its future without much difficulty.

Catalan nationalism and Spanish nationalism are always at odds but this is a unique time to unite! BOTH LOVE INDEPENDENCE! BY FIGHTING TOGETHER AGAINST AN INTERVENTION FROM BRUSSELS NONE OF THEM IS GOING AGAINST ITS PRINCIPLES!

So, Mariano act urgently and put exceptional measures so we can resist as if we were NUMANCIA.

Switch off lights at night of main buildings, encourage people not to buy petrol if not needed exceptionnally.

IT IS ALL A QUESTION OF TRUST. IF MARIANO CONVINCES THE PEOPLE A SOLUTION CAN BE SOLVED.

 

SPAIN IS RIGHT IN NOT ACCEPTING A BAILOUT

English: Signature of Mariano Rajoy, Spanish politician. Español: Firma de Mariano Rajoy, político español. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Spain is currently receiving a lot of pressure so that it asks for a bailout. But the president of Spain does not ask for it. So, he is accused of been too proud to ask for help.

Well, I think that what he is doing is not so bad: Spain is responsible of its critical problems and Spain has to solve its critical problem.

What is wrong for that? I think it would be worse if Rajoy said: OK, we did the things in a wrong way but now we ask for help and that’s all.

I think he is not acting like this because he is too proud but because he, like me, thinks that one has to be responsible of its own acts.

Maybe Mariano Rajoy is wrong in not accepting help but nobody gives helps for nothing!! Europe offers help to Greece but at what price?

I only know that I prefer to be poor but to live with my own money than to be at the orders of Berlin.

The only thing I would ask Mariano is to be sincere with the Spaniards and tell us which is the plan!

Tomorrow is a very important day for Spain. Bonds are going to be sold. Will it be possible to sell them. And at what price?

Some centuries ago Spanish accepted that the French troops entered Spain to fight Portugal that was an ally of England. In the end, the French troops invaded us and we had to fight a war against them!

If Spain accepts money from Europe something similar may happen. We will be ruled from outside (and in Catalonia we know the meaning of this! We are ruled from Madrid and is awful!)

I say alll this because from outside it may seem that we are just too proud. And it is not just so. We love to have the sense we are free!

If Spain accepts a bailout it is as if Germany had invaded Spain! It is true that the Germans are wise enough not to force us to learn German but they would force to do whatever they ask us. While we should remain silent and not even mention the word BAILOUT.

In any case, if I had to choose between living in a Golden German cage or in a die of hunger next to the Mediterranean pines I prefer the last.

Each country has an image of itself. And that image makes that you can or cannot ask for help. Spain cannot ask for help because EVERYBODY IN SPAIN LOVES TO BE THE MASTER OF ITS DESTINY.

And it is this that unites all people in Spain! Even in Catalonia an intervention from Brussels is suspicious. A lot of people in Catalonia do not like to be ruled from Madrid but for the same reason we do not want to be ruled from Brussels. And the same happens in Madrid.

In any case if Brussels rules Berlin to accept eurobonds I am the first to forget all I say and be the first to be accept direct rule from Brussels. I do not have any problem about Brussels ruling Spain IF IT ALSO RULES BERLIN.

IF BRUSSELS REALLY RULED EUROPE THEN I WOULD ACCEPT THE AUSTERITY TO SPAIN BECAUSE I KNOW THAT AT THE SAME TIME BRUSSELS WOULD FIGHT FOR THE EURO STABILITY BY JUST ACCEPTING EUROBONDS.

While Germany rules Brussels I support Mariano Rajoy not asking help from Brussels. In this sense, I feel more British than ever! In the sense of neither not trusting Brussels.

Related articles

• Spain PM insists on sticking to austerity measures (kansascity.com)
• Europe Fears Bailout of Spain Would Strain Its Resources (nytimes.com)

CYPRUS MAY JOIN GREECE AND NEED HELP TOO

I have read some minutes ago in the BBC website that Cyprus may need too help like Greece, Ireland and Portugal did.

As far as I know Cyprus is a small island but it is obviously not good news. i am wondering if in the next weeks we won’t have bad news from places we did not think about!

MODIS satellite image of Cyprus. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

Related articles

• Cyprus eyes EU bailout (fsn.typepad.com)
• Euro crisis: Is Cyprus next for the Grexit? (guardian.co.uk)
• Cyprus next country to seek euro bail-out, president suggests (forexlive.com)
• Cyprus president doesn’t exclude an EU bailout (ekathimerini.com)

WHO IS JUAN ROIG?

It is amazing. One of the most successful histories in Spain is a supermarket chain called MERCADONA.

Today, the man behind this chain, JUAN ROIG, has said things that are pure common sense. I hope people listen to him. He uses a vocabulary very easy to understand like HAY QUE PONERSE LAS PILAS or NOS HEMOS HEMOS PASADO 30 PUEBLOS COMO PAIS.

I am not so in love with Mercadona as some people I know but I must admit that is nice to shop there because it is very clean and new and there is a lot of order. it is at milions of light years from other supermarkets I know. The image they give of themselves is very good. But I know other supermarkets of other chains that look a bit dirty and even are more expensive but where you can find amazing fruit that you do not find in Mercadona. Paying more and with a bad image of bad order and not so clean, however! In this sense I admire Mercadona.