By FRROK ÇUPI
Sunday’s referendum in Cataluña on independence from Spain, reached its culmination point. We saw a confrontation between voters and police; the pledge to separate and Rajoy’s weak government; the Spanish crisis and the poverty of Cataluña… But we also saw a confrontation of an old promise made by Spanish politics that “we will never give Barcelona away” with the powerful, but discreet revolution of Cataluña.
The European Union did not expect to see a division in its back door…
We saw a confrontation of two elements of the World War.
The first element is both primitive and significant, while the second element is the culmination of the modernization of this era.
The first element was the pajama and this was the reason why it was called the “pajamas’ revolution”. Meanwhile, the second element is internet. This referendum is a creation of the internet. This was the reason why it was called “The First World War of the Internet”, by Julian Assange of Wikileaks.
In spite of the pledges made by the EU that it will not allow a division (the EU has even pledged that even Brexit will not take place), the process goes on without the permission of Europe’s old elites. EU leaders have recently gathered and talked about a possible EU army, of finance ministers and of a unity against nationalists and conservatives…
But not all the gates can be shut. Troy is more ancient and more intelligent. Troy in Cataluña turned into pajamas and internet.
The voters, who had sworn for independence, one night before the referendum, wore their pajamas and entered schools, gyms and halls which would serve as polling stations. Police had pledged that they would shut down all polling stations, but inside of them there were voters in pajamas. They even removed the large gates in schools in order for police not to prevent the entry of other voters…
These were Troy’s pajamas.
Meanwhile, the internet turned into a master of the Referendum of Cataluña. Pro referendum voters received messages, made decisions and built a strategy through internet connections. Now, Cataluña’s Referendum is a fact. Police is exerting violence, but violence is an element of strength in favor of the referendum…
“Water” has penetrated from the EU’s back door.
Pledging that it would not allow this separation, or even Brexit for that matter, the European Union is suffering a schism in Barcelona. But Barcelona is only a way in to a Europe where nations are trying to decide on their own. Tired of policies made by old political elites, of governments that promise and never deliver, of a massive migration, crime and fear, system against national values, and wanting to uphold family values and sovereignty, has lead to the creation of a situation of mistrust in all the European Union member countries.
The EU leaders have not said a single word on the Referendum, as if aiming to disregard it. The entire burden has befallen upon Mariano Rajoy’s government, which, although it has not been voted, is still a government. But why are the EU’s liberal leaders hiding?
Either they have nothing to say, or they are no longer courageous in the face of the nationalist movements in Europe. The German elections, where Mrs. Merkel, who is a champion of open borders, achieved a victory like Pyrrhus, have almost sealed the future of the EU: It cannot continue with old policies which go against the fundamental European values.
The EU is in a state of shock, but it has not yet manifested it.
Europe was in a state of anxiety before the referendum of Cataluña for independence. In all of Europe, there’s added dynamism of independence movements. The referendum was a message for nationalist areas ready to proclaim independence.
Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, said that Cataluña’s right of separation, is an international right which must be respected.
Jan Peumans, the speaker of the regional Parliament of Flanders in Belgium, said that he has great hopes on the referendum of Cataluña.
Italy’s Lega Nord, which is demanding more autonomy, is preparing a referendum for Northern Lombardy and Veneto.
Instead of heeding the requests for separation, the EU leaders and the heads of the Spanish government are threatening that they will not allow any separation to take place. The EU leaders have dared to stop Brexit on its tracks along with nationalist populist policies, which are now swarming the continent. Violence against voters in Cataluña may turn into a new schism among the continent’s states.
Note: The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Albanian Free Press’ editorial policy
