Lehandakari

(taoiseach) Number 1.

An update of issues underlying the strategy of both Spanish and French States to further European integration and the forthcoming European Union Constitution.

(what's happening in the Basque and Catalonia in other words).
[thought you'd like squeeze it into the "irish interest"]

Yesterday the man who holds the job equivalent to "speaker" of the Basque regional parliament which has existed since the Spanish Constitution allowed for the present Kingdom of Spain to assume power from the previous Fascist Regime of Generalissimo Francisco Franco who had thought the whole thing up as a bloody "coup d'etat" against the democratically elected and legitimate 2nd Republic of Spain who had legally and constitutionally established as part of it's federal remit the lands of Basque and Catalan, [.... deep breathe....]
went to court.

The Speaker of the Basque parliament spent several hours explaining to the Spanish Court System why he has not obeyed the law, and outlawed a political party.

The political party is deemed by Spain's top judges and present ruling political party and tradition to be intrinsically "the same" as a previous political party (H Batasuna). The previous party was disallowed from presenting itself at the municipal elections of 2003 after Judge Baltazar Garzon had ruled that it was "_non distinguishable" from the designated terrorist organisation "ETA".

The Speaker of the Basque parliament who's proper title in english would be: "President of the Basque Parliament" faces a prison sentance of between 6 months and 2 years if found guilty of "contempt" by the Spanish Court. He is a key member of the PNV who on an electoral mandate of 52% of Basque votes currently rule the Basque region. The leader of that party took time out from considering the troubles facing his "project for free and external association of the Basque Lands with the Spanish State" to _interfere_ in the affairs of the neighbouring region of the Spanish State, the country of Catalonia. Catalans elected their new government on November 16, and surprised many european and spanish observers by electing 23 ERC or Catalan republicans, who are now key to the next regional government.

The Lehandakari hopes that the ERC will go into coalition with the CiU roughly equivalent to his own right wing party. And he said as much, it seems if the ERC get "their hope" of a referendum on Catalonia's ties to the Spanish State, then the Basque's will get theirs'.

Oh well, needless to say this is all such difficult politics, and diplomacy and involves so many hidden interests and possibly dark dark secrets and _"very snotty noses"_ that you don't read much about it in your newspaper.

-You'll get that.

I'll update the "really interesting bits of the next week" (it will be _really interesting) in the comments.

links for fans:
Basque:
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=50048
Catalonia:
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=61051


the coalition has not been decided yet in Catalonia and will soon go "illegally" overdue, interestingly this week the PP were the only political party in the state not to attend a memorial for the victims of the Franco Dictatorship, those who fought for the 2nd Republic. ¿Well would they have? no-!
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=62218


http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=60933