IVAN VEJVODA TESTIMONY ON CATALONIA

IVAN VEJVODA

Senior Vice President / Programs

The German Marshall Fund of the United States

United States Congress

House of Representatives

Committee on Foreign Affairs

Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia and Emerging Threats

Hearing:

U.S. Policy Toward National Self-Determination Movements

March 15, 2016

Washington D.C.

TESTIMONY

(...) Spain is also a country to be observed. While for a long time it was the Basque country in where separatists waged a campaign of terror with the desire for independence it is Catalonia that is today the part of Spain that in everyones’s focus. The last elections results in Catalonia show that that there is a rising tide by parts of Catalan political elites and society to seek independence. Questions arise whether the demands for greater self-government will be granted by the central government in Madrid or not. And even if these demands were met would that assuage those seeking independence It is the young who have swollen the ranks of those who wish to see an independent Catalonia. And then there always is the question: if it does secede, which will not happen tomorrow by any measure – will the EU accept it as a new member and under what rules of the road. Many an open question. (...)