The Catalan party Junts asks Spain to recognize Kosovo

2024-06-05 21:17:52, Kosova & Bota CNA

The Catalan party of Mr. Carles Puigdemont, "Junts per Catalunya" (Together for Catalonia), sent a proposal to the Spanish Parliament, with the request that the Spanish government recognize the independence of Kosovo.

Spain is one of the five member countries of the European Union, along with Cyprus, Greece, Slovakia and Romania, that do not recognize the independence of Kosovo that was declared on February 17, 2008 with the support of the United States and the main European countries, while it is opposed by Serbia and its ally Russia.

The Junts party, which is not part of the Spanish government, but whose votes are essential for the government of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, emphasizes in its proposal that Kosovo is a state that has been recognized by 104 of the 193 member states of the United Nations and 22 from the member states of the European Union. In the letter, among other things, the decision of the International Court of Justice is mentioned, which in July 2010 said that the declaration of independence of Kosovo no longer contradicts international law.

"The Spanish refusal to recognize a state that exercised its legitimate right to self-determination is an obstacle to the European policy of integrating the Western Balkans into the European Union and this refusal is a destabilizing factor in this area in a context marked by war in Ukraine, which this part of Europe experiences with particular anxiety. In this sense, it is not acceptable for the Spanish state to share the same strategy as Russia, China or Belarus by refusing to recognize Kosovo", the proposal states, among other things.

The Junts party recalls the fact that from January of this year Spain recognized the passports of Kosovo, whose citizens can now travel without visas in the Schengen area.

In the proposal, it is emphasized that the recognition of Kosovo by the five non-recognizing countries of the EU enables it to progress in the integration process, while the concern is expressed that some member states are using institutional tools to complicate the integration process of the region, including Kosovo.

"For these reasons and in support of the efforts being made by the institutions and citizens of Kosovo in defense of its right to exist as an independent state, the Spanish state must give up its rejection and proceed with the immediate recognition of the Republic of Kosovo", says the proposal that was published a few days after Spain decided to recognize the citizenship of Palestine.

It is not clear what impact such a proposal might have on the hardline approach of the Spanish government, given that Madrid faces Catalonia's push for independence from Spain.

The Junst party used its votes for Prime Minister Sanchez's government to secure a controversial law that amnesties hundreds of Catalans who were involved in Catalonia's 2017 secession attempt./ VOA