More than a year ago, I posted a political fiction post called 2024. I am publishing it again to remind us how things change depending on where we stand.
2024
Today, February 12th 2024, the European Parliament has rejected a proposal by the Spanish representative to the European Council to re-create the Spanish tax collection agency that was eliminated in the year 2014, when the European tax collection agency was founded with the objective to collect all European taxes, except those from Germany, France, Italy and the Benelux, countries that have kept till today their own tax collection entities, claiming historical rights as founding members of the European Union.Behind the Spanish proposal, we can find the fact that only 75% of the taxes collected in Spain, come back, while countries like Turkey are taking advantage of the solidarity funds due to partisan reasons, since the votes of its 120 million citizens (one forth of the European Union population) are key to keep the EPP (European Popular Party) in charge of the European government.Due to its current fiscal deficit, Spain has been obliged to restore the inheritance tax, reintroduce tolls at all statewide highways (that had been eliminated in 2002 in the whole country, except for Catalonia) and institute a 20% co-payment for medical assistance, among other measures.
The Spanish representative explained that after the tax redistribution, the per capita income in Spain dropped four places in the European ranking, after being taken over by Portugal, Czech Republic, Hungary and Latvia. These four countries that still enjoy the solidarity funds, have been able to eliminate the inheritance tax, all medical co-payments and have even introduced free dental coverage.
The Spanish proposal has provoked violent reactions, especially in those four countries and Turkey. Since Spain started to publicize its proposal, several organizations in those countries have called for a boycott to Spanish products, especially, Rioja wine, olive oil and, of course, “cava” (Catalan sparkling wine). Sales of those products in Europe have dropped significantly (about 7%), although the selling season has been saved thanks to the marketing efforts in Asia and the USA, as well as, the sale of non labeled wine and olive oil to Italian companies.
At the same time, some groups in Madrid have started a boycott against products labeled in English, which are invading the shelves of the supermarkets, due to lower distribution costs. England has sent an official complaint to the Spanish regional government and has qualified the attitude of the Madrilenian citizens as racist.
Meanwhile the dispute between the Seville archdioceses museum and the Moroccan government continues. The Moroccan government is demanding the return of all religious objects (Christian and Muslim) that came from the Spanish ex-colonies of Ceuta and Melilla. As you will remember, those colonies were returned to Morocco in 2018, as a result of the pressure from the Turkish government to the European conservative party that needed the support of the Turkish parties to overcome a non confidence vote in the European Parliament. The leader of the Spanish conservative party, who initially signaled his disagreement, was called to Brussels for consultations and despite the fact that there were many rumors about his possible resignation, he finally accepted the party line and voted for the return of the two enclaves to Morocco.
The only positive event this year has been the return of the documents stolen from Madrilenian institutions and private owners by the French troops during the War of Independence in 1808, and that were located at the French National Museum in Lyon. The documents left Lyon in the middle of the night and with heavy escort. The mayor of Lyon has filed an injunction against the Spanish regional goverment that has been accepted by the European court.
A close aide to the expresident of the Spanish government at the beginning of the century, José María Aznar, has indicated that the expresident, in view of the situation, exclaimed in privacy and in Catalan: “We should have learnt from the Catalans”.
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5 comments:
That's a funny one, Ian! Good for you. Is it interactive? may we collaborate to expand it?
Garci,
I wrote the article 14 months ago. It was actually a letter to the editor written in Spanish, that I sent to the newspaper ABC. They did not publish it. They have never publised me any letter, not even the most moderate ones.
When I was re-posting it, I noticed that it was easily expandable with events that have happened in the last year.
However I just want to leave it as it is. Anyway, thanks for asking.
Good try Ian:
I am totally opposed to newspapers censorships, more so these days, when Spanish newspapers (as you may imagine I include in this term all newspapers produced in the State), tend to be more and more sectarian. I have never tried to send anything but didn't you try to send it to another newspaper whose editorial line is closer to your ideas? Avui, even El Periodico..?
I have only sent letters to El Mundo, ABC and La Vanguardia. I was ignored by El Mundo and ABC. La Vanguardia always published my letters.
You can read one of my unpublised letters to ABC in this post:
http://ianllorens.blogspot.com/2005/12/abcs-confusion-of-languages.html
Regarding my ideas, you cannot mix my political views with my patriotic feelings. I am a Catalan nationalist, but totally pro-market economy, what makes me lean to the right. I am sure there will be center-right political parties in an independent Catalonia.
Ian:
Sorry if I seemed to think you are a leftist nationalist. That was not the case. First, because I don't think there is such a thing..as Groucho said from the words 'military intelligence'...the same applies to 'nationalist left'...impossible to make sense of something like that. But also, I never thought you would be pro-ERC..your pro-market statements always showed you are not into those things.
Thanks for taking the time to show me the link.
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