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EU urges ‘dialogue’ in Catalan crisis

The European Commission on Monday urged all sides in the crisis over Catalonia's banned independence referendum to move "very swiftly" to dialogue.

Published: 2 October 2017 12:31 CEST
EU urges 'dialogue' in Catalan crisis
People sit on Plaza Catalunya square in Barcelona waiting for polls results after the closing of polling stations on October 1, 2017.Photo: AFP

In its first reaction a day after scores were hurt in clashes in Catalonia, the European Commission said the referendum was “not legal” under Spanish law and was an “internal matter” for Spain.

An independent Catalonia would also have to leave the EU if it did vote for independence in a legal referendum, European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said.

“Beyond the purely legal aspects of this matter, the commission believes that these are times for unity and stability, not divisiveness and fragmentation,” Schinas said in a statement to reporters.

“We call on all relevant players to now move very swiftly from confrontation to dialogue. Violence can never be an instrument in politics.    

“We trust the leadership of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to manage this difficult process in full respect of the Spanish constitution and of the fundamental rights of citizens enshrined therein.”

Spain said Monday it will do “everything within the law” to prevent Catalonia from declaring independence, a day after Catalonia's regional government declared victory in the referendum.

“Under the Spanish Constitution, yesterday's vote in Catalonia was not legal,” Schinas added.

“For the European Commission, as President (Jean-Claude) Juncker has reiterated repeatedly, this is an internal matter for Spain that has to be dealt with in line with the constitutional order of Spain.

“We also reiterate the legal position held by this Commission as well as by its predecessors — if a referendum were to be organised in line with the Spanish constitution it would mean that the territory leaving would find itself outside of the European Union.”

Later EU President Donald Tusk on Monday urged Spain's prime minister to avoid further “use of force” in the Catalonia crisis, after a banned independence referendum was marred by scenes of police violence.

 

READ MORE: UN calls on Spain to probe referendum violence

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Swiss decision to purchase US fighter jets could force second referendum

Switzerland's decision to purchase US-made fighter jets could be put to a referendum,

Published: 30 June 2021 18:13 CEST
Swiss decision to purchase US fighter jets could force second referendum
Swiss fighter jets. Photo: JOE KLAMAR / AFP

Switzerland’s government on Wednesday backed the purchase of 36 F-35A fighter jets from Lockheed Martin to replace its fleet and five Patriot air defence units from fellow US manufacturer Raytheon.

Switzerland’s current air defence equipment will reach the end of its service life in 2030 and has been undergoing a long and hotly-contested search for replacements.

“The Federal Council is confident that these two systems are the most suitable for protecting the Swiss population from air threats in the future,” the government said in a statement.

‘No Trump fighter jets’: Swiss don’t want to buy American planes

The decision will now be put to the Swiss parliament — and also risks being challenged at the ballot box, with left-wingers and an anti-militarist group looking to garner enough signatures to trigger a public vote.

The F-35A was chosen ahead of the Airbus Eurofighter; the F/A-18 Super Hornet by Boeing; and French firm Dassault’s Rafale.

For the ground-based air defence (GBAD) system, Patriot was selected ahead of SAMP/T by France’s Eurosam.

“An evaluation has revealed that these two systems offer the highest overall benefit at the lowest overall cost,” the government statement said. Switzerland is famously neutral. However, its long-standing position is one of armed neutrality and the landlocked European country has mandatory conscription for men.

“A fleet of 36 aircraft would be large enough to cover Switzerland’s airspace protection needs over the longer term in a prolonged situation of heightened tensions,” the government said.

“The air force must be able to ensure that Swiss airspace cannot be used by foreign parties in a military conflict.” 

Long path to decision 

Switzerland began to seek replacements for its ageing fleet of fighter jets more than a decade ago, but the issue has become caught up in a political battle in the wealthy Alpine nation.

The Swiss government has long argued for the need to quickly replace its 30 or so F/A-18 Hornets, which will reach the end of their lifespan in 2030, and the F-5 Tigers, which have been in service for four decades and are not equipped for night flights.

In 2014, the country looked set to purchase 22 Gripen E fighter jets from Swedish group Saab, only to see the public vote against releasing the funds needed to go forward with the multi-billion-dollar deal.

Bern launched a new selection process four years later, and a referendum last year to release six billion Swiss francs ($6.5 billion) for the purchase of the fighters of the government’s choice squeezed through with 50.1 percent of voters in favour.

During the referendum campaign, the government warned that without a swift replacement for its fleet, “Switzerland will no longer be in a position to protect and even less defend its airspace by 2030”.

Currently, the fleet does not have the capacity to support ground troops for reconnaissance missions or to intervene against ground targets.

Meanwhile Switzerland’s current GBAD system is also old and lacks the capacity to meet the widening spectrum of modern threats.

The military currently relies on a range of Rapier and Stinger short-range missiles that have been in service since 1963.

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