Derk J. Eppink (Dutch MEP) to Vidal Quadras": I had the impression that your letter had been drafted by Franco himself!"

Derk Jan Eppink, the Vice President of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group and Dutch Member of the European Parliament (MEP) has called the EU to act on Mr. Vidal Quadras' statements threatening Catalonia with military intervention. You can watch it in this video:



See also the statement in English subtitled in Catalan.

Below is a transcription of Derk Jan Eppink's statement: "Mr. President. Let me first congratulate you, Mr. Barroso and Mr. Van Rompuy for the Nobel Peace Prize. Unfortunately, I cannot congratulate Mr. Vidal Quadras, Vice President of this Parliament. On Spanish Television, he suggested to send the Guardia Civil to Catalonia to deal with moves toward Catalan independence. This remark was utterly appalling. Let the Catalonians themselves vote on their future. Look at Primer Minister David Cameron with regard to Scottish independence. Cameron says, OK, let's have a referendum, in 2014. That's the way to go about this, Ladies and Gentlemen. Not the army, but democracy. In order to explain his remarks, Mr. Vidal Quadras sent us a letter and makes it even worse. And here's the letter. Reading it, Mr. President, I had the impression it had been drafted by General Franco himself! He calls Catalan independence "neither peaceful nor democratic", but what about him? So, dear winners of the Nobel Peace Prize, what are you going to do about that? And Mr. Schulz, what are you going to do about it? Not so much, so far. Mr. Schulz, you said, "Oh, Mr. Vidal Quadras just expressed his private opinion. He did not speak as a Vice President." But he did it. He was announced as Vice President and he's Vice President 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, isn't he? So, Mr. President, please do not run away from reality. Call upon your President to apologize to this house, to apologize to the Catalan people, and to resign. He does not reflect the dignity of his position. he is not worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize, and I would say, “Señor Vidal Quadras: Vergüenza!” (Mr. Vidal Quadras: shame on you!)."

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