Joaquim Coello Burfau, engineer
November 1, 2021 Image: Xavier Cervera
In Catalonia the independence movement has not generated violence. In Ireland there was terrorism and civil war, thousands of deaths. In the Basque Country, terrorism, hundreds of deaths.
Wanting to be independent is a contempt for those who want unity, “I don’t want to share with you.” In Ireland the antagonism and contempt of the United Kingdom against its citizens, its society and culture, was important while the conflict was not resolved, more than a century. English literature of the 19th and 20th centuries cannot do without the Irish authors, Bernard Shaw, James Joyce, William Butler Yeats, Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett …, but they went through a difficult period while the political conflict was raging.alive.
Thirty years ago being Catalan was a reason for admiration in Spain, today it is for distrust
Thirty years ago being Catalan was a reason for admiration in Spain, today it is for distrust. It is understandable, but it hurts us in everything, public investment, business, science, relationship with Europe…
No one can expect the dissenting party to renounce what it believes to be kinder, but there have been no tough clashes in Catalonia in the recent past, as in Ireland and the Basque Country. The consequence is that, despite everything, and certainly, a State is made up of many different powers that act on different fronts, but with common objectives; there are no reasons for the growing distance between Catalonia and Spain, which hurts us, more in Catalonia than in Spain. We have to focus our priorities on what is convenient for us and that necessarily leads us to consider the long and short term, prioritizing this, because it is what can get us out of the current morass.
We can live with Spain and with the Spanish State, there is nothing to prevent it. While Otegi and Eguiguren negotiated the end of terrorism, Otegi was jailed, too close to the abertzales, it was an electoral problem for the PSOE, but that did not stop the negotiation. If we have not had these problems, why do we have to stop collaborating by renouncing the benefits it brings, despite certain repressive measures that will continue to exist? Reality, whether we like it or not, is complex. Civilization needs a certain dose of hypocrisy and cynicism.
We have solid economic values in Catalonia on which to build our future. The best public health in the world, excellence in cancer, cardiovascular and neurological medicine, leaders in transplantation. We are a powerhouse in bio science and animal vaccines, we are a food power only behind France; we have one of the five most powerful computing centers in Europe. We are leaders in Spain in quantum technology, the basis of cyber-security, we have the best Spanish university, centers of excellence in economics and business schools, we are a European power in clothing, fashion, cosmetics of our own design. The financial sector is strong and healthy after the 2008 crisis, it is large enough to compete in Europe. The list is long.
Our opportunity is to be better at what we are excellent to integrate with advantages in the EU
Our opportunity is to be better at what we are already excellent so that we can successfully integrate into the EU. The historical option of Europe is to have enough strength and independence so as not to be dragged or colonized by the two giants of the future, China and the United States, and that implies increasing our policy of convergence between the member states, becoming essential in certain sectors. . European economic integration will be based on that in which each country is excellent while maintaining its competitive advantages, this is what has to guide our economic, industrial and scientific policy.
Europe has to take care of its internal market, but also that European industry competes in the world against the giants of China and the USA, and this requires a change in the EU’s competition policy that allows European companies to grow and get stronger. The policies of the IPCEI (important projects of common European interest), which eliminate the consideration of state aid to national or European public funds for certain sectors and strategic technologies, are the beginning of this change in priorities. The mistake of preventing the merger of Siemens and Alstom to form the world’s first TGV company has been painful, but also a useful experience.
European funds will come if we carry out the social and economic reforms in which we are behind
The European funds will come if we carry out the social and economic reforms in which we are behind, pensions, the labor market and competitiveness in an open market. Community financial contributions have been generated by a shared indebtedness of the member states and, therefore, what is done with the funds granted will be audited.
The conclusion is that the opportunity exists and is convenient for us, but to take advantage of it we have to define our priorities and prevalence.
https://www.lavanguardia.com/opinion/20211101/7830130/prevalencias-conveniencias.html
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