The strange and illegal parallel between Catalonia and Armenia

On these days, in Spain, the attention of the public media has turned to the Caucasian region. Different items are the reason. The re-election of the President Aliyev in Azerbaijan, the failed President in Armenia, and, in another plane, the F1 Azerbaijan GP, were important news in the Spanish newspapers and TV channels.

At he same time, in Catalonia, and especially, in Barcelona, the biggest city, and permanent focus of attention, we are living, since the last two years with a very hard intensity, a political movement for the independence of Catalonia from Spain. And at the same time too, here appears a strange position of the Armenian people who live in Catalonia, on this situation. In fact, Armenian people here start to speak about that there is the same situation in Catalonia and in Nagorno-Karabakh, in an interesting and malicious way. Of course, they are talking about an autodetermination referendum, to unilaterally proclaim independence in both cases. And, in a curious alliance, the Catalan independence parties are supporting in this moment the artificial situation in Nagorno Karabakh, talking about a supposed longing for the independence in the population in Catalonia and in Nagorno Karabakh, and talking about a strange way to understand what is democracy.

In both cases, in an interesting and indecent way, political leaders, big part of them politicians who need to hide their own corruption and ineptitude, are supporting this beahviour, using not democratics ways (the violent occupation and ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh, and the brainwash in the last forty years at school in Catalonia, talking about Spain like an enemy and a thief) definitely, in an irresponsible way and forgetting the main reason. In both cases, in an ilegal and criminal way, going against the UN resolutions, the internatioal legality in Nagorno-Karabakh case and the national laws in Spain.

This behaviour of the Armenian people here has reached an unsustainable point, with bad results for them.

In fact, in an incredible act, the Armenian Ambassador came to Barcelona to participate in an event promoted for some Catalan secessionist people, for talk about the identity between both cases, Catalonia and Nagorno Karabakh. The Ambassador despite the Spanish rules and the Spanish position on Nagorno Karabakh, absolutely supporting Azerbaijan and the international laws.

At the same time, the Asociacion Cultural de Armenia en Barcelona published a statement supporting the independence of Catalonia, against the Spanish authorities" position.

Of course, before this unacceptable attitude, like a lawyer and jurist, I was informed by the Spanish Government Delegation. Both actions will have the appropiate consequences.

On the other hand, the Azerbaijan's authorities, the Ambassador in Spain and the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Azerbaijan, have pronounced unequivocally in favor or the current legality and territorial integrity of both states, Azerbaijan and Spain.

Finishing, like a Spanish and a Catalonian, I want to talk about the current situation in Catalonia. In this moment, there is almost 10,000 armenians living here, some of them, in second generation, with Spanish nationality. Unfortunately, Azerbaijan is not as well known as it should be here, and at the same time, there is a lot of Armenian people organized as active people. Like a Spanish and a Catalonian from Barcelona, I believe Azerbaijan needs to intensificate efforts to strengthen the presence in culture, economy and politics. I support the Embassy's actions and the big efforts from the Azerbaijan Society in Barcelona, with the Casa Azerbaijan. But there are so much people from Armenia living here, that it is imposible to fight in this way.

Barcelona is the third city in the world in number of Consulates, some of them from countries with only a few people living. I think that is not easy to understand why there is not one Azerbaijan Consulate in Barcelona, who could act in these cases.

This is my opinion.

Javier Medina

Lawyer, member of the Lawyer Profesional Association in Barcelona (ICAB)