His comments led to the Spanish foreign minister, Josep Borrell, revoking the diplomatic status of the Flemish government's delegate to Madrid.
Spain, he said, "is incapable of meeting the conditions to form part of
a democratic Europe" because it has "political prisoners". Now, far
from retracting his remarks, Jan Peumans (Maastricht, 1951), speaker of the Flemish Parliament, doubles down in this interview with El Nacional:
"This situation is unacceptable in 21st century Europe". Peumans has
received the support of his legislative chamber, from both right and
left, whilst the Flemish minister-president, Geert Bourgeois, described
the Spanish measure as "disproportionate".
What do you think of the reaction from the Spanish foreign minister, Josep Borrell, to your words, by expelling the representative of Flanders from the diplomatic corps?
It's a joke. Europe's never seen that before... An MP is free to say whatever they want. It's our right, it's in the constitution. We can express our opinion on the prisoners. Minister Borrell has taken draconian, excessive steps. Never has a government taken measures against a member of a Parliament. It's really extraordinary. Now he's said that relations between Spain and Flanders, in diplomatic terms, are over. It's ridiculous. We said it yesterday in our Parliament too. All the parties, the six parties, gave me support as speaker. They said that any MP is free to say whatever they want to say.
Do you stand by your words?
For a politician in democratic Europe to be put in prison is not normal. It's something which I cannot understand in the year 2018. Be it [former speaker of the Catalan Parliament Carme] Forcadell or any political leader in prison, I cannot understand it. As such, I stand by what I said.
What should Belgium's reaction be to this question?
The Belgian foreign minister [Didier Reynders], who is a liberal francophone, has said that it's not his issue if there's a conflict between Flanders and Spain. Nonetheless, the president of Flanders, Geert Bourgeois, will give Reynders a letter, which he will deliver to the Spanish government through the Belgian embassy.
And from Flanders, what measures have you taken?
Our Parliament has passed a bill which says three things. Firstly, that we're opposed to the police violence of the [day of the referendum] 1st October last year. Secondly, that dialogue is needed between the Spanish government and the Catalan government and institutions. Thirdly, we ask the European Union to act as a mediator in the conflict that still exists in your country. The bill was passed unanimously.
What do you think of the reaction from the Spanish foreign minister, Josep Borrell, to your words, by expelling the representative of Flanders from the diplomatic corps?
It's a joke. Europe's never seen that before... An MP is free to say whatever they want. It's our right, it's in the constitution. We can express our opinion on the prisoners. Minister Borrell has taken draconian, excessive steps. Never has a government taken measures against a member of a Parliament. It's really extraordinary. Now he's said that relations between Spain and Flanders, in diplomatic terms, are over. It's ridiculous. We said it yesterday in our Parliament too. All the parties, the six parties, gave me support as speaker. They said that any MP is free to say whatever they want to say.
Do you stand by your words?
For a politician in democratic Europe to be put in prison is not normal. It's something which I cannot understand in the year 2018. Be it [former speaker of the Catalan Parliament Carme] Forcadell or any political leader in prison, I cannot understand it. As such, I stand by what I said.
What should Belgium's reaction be to this question?
The Belgian foreign minister [Didier Reynders], who is a liberal francophone, has said that it's not his issue if there's a conflict between Flanders and Spain. Nonetheless, the president of Flanders, Geert Bourgeois, will give Reynders a letter, which he will deliver to the Spanish government through the Belgian embassy.
And from Flanders, what measures have you taken?
Our Parliament has passed a bill which says three things. Firstly, that we're opposed to the police violence of the [day of the referendum] 1st October last year. Secondly, that dialogue is needed between the Spanish government and the Catalan government and institutions. Thirdly, we ask the European Union to act as a mediator in the conflict that still exists in your country. The bill was passed unanimously.
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