Verboten subjects in the European Parliament

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This week, Stuart Agnew MEP sent this very interesting answer to one of his constituents who wrote to him about the persecution of Catalonian politicians.  It is very illuminating about how the European Parliament goes about its business!:



Thank you for your email regarding the treatment of Catalonian politicians.

The leader of our EFDD Group in the Parliament, Nigel Farage MEP, frequently talks about the situation in Catalonia when addressing the Parliament Chamber. By virtue of being a Group Leader he has high profile opportunities for speaking time. He only has two and a half minutes, and there are very many competing issues worthy of his attention. However, Catalonia is definitely one of his priorities. The reaction of the other Group Leaders is total silence. They are far from silent, however, whenever there is an opportunity to criticise the Prime Minister of Hungary, which they enthusiastically seize upon.

There are regular human rights debates held here with a focus on a specific issue. Choosing the issue from a selection offered by MEPs is the responsibility of the COP (Conference of Presidents). These are the leaders of the Groups or their deputies. The same individuals who refuse to mention Catalonia in the Chamber! Unsurprisingly Catalonia is kept off the list.

If the human rights situation in Catalonia is bad, the issue of racially inspired routine murders of South African farmers is appalling.  However, I cannot convince the COP that even this is an issue worthy of debate. For them, only certain types of racism are wrong.

Catalonia places the apostles of the EU 'project' with a very difficult dilemma. On the one hand they have for fifty years been trying to quietly undermine the sovereignty of the member states and transfer authority to Regions who in turn receive EU funding, with clear advice on how to spend it. Catalonia has become a Frankenstein's monster. It is willing to part from Spain in the full knowledge that Spain will veto the admission of Catalonia into the EU. Catalonia is content to go it alone outside the EU. This is not part of the 'project' at all.

Brexit is bad enough, but the precedent of viable economic chunks of member states going off and doing their own thing successfully outside the EU is, for the apostles, the unthinkable. Hence the silence.

I will of course support any campaigns here that draw attention to the unacceptable treatment of individuals in Catalonia, or who have fled from it.

Best wishes


Stuart Agnew MEP

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