Catalonia: Gianni Pittella and Enrique Barón Crespo call for dialogue within the law
Date
Sections
Brussels, 11 October 2017
The president of the Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, Gianni Pittella, is closely following the unfolding of events in Catalonia. Today he met Enrique Barón Crespo, former president of the S&D Group and the European Parliament. Together, they called for a dialogue based on the way opened by Pedro Sánchez through the reform of the Constitution.
S&D president Gianni Pittella said:
“We make this call because dialogue is always useful when it occurs in the framework of the rule of law and legality. Today, the socialist leader in Spain, Pedro Sánchez, has taken a big step by requesting the reform of the Constitution, always respecting the law and the rules. Things cannot be changed through an illegal referendum. What did it achieve? Only damage. Damage to citizens; damage to Spain and also damage to Europe. A strong Spain in an ever more united Europe; this is our call, and this is our task.”
Enrique Barón Crespo praised the S&D Group’s support during the crisis and said:
“As a father of the Spanish Constitution I can say that in Spain we have a social state based on the rule of law where we can solve our internal issues. I welcome the important step taken today based on a broad agreement between the government and the Socialist Party to start the reform of the Constitution.
“From the European point of view, I also welcome the fact that the united Europe we are building is a framework in which mutual inter-dependency, consciously constructed on our common values, with a common citizenship and a single currency has allowed for the European Union to express its solidarity, its concern and its encouragement.”
MEPs INVOLVED
+32 2 284 51 59
+33 3 88 17 51 59
S&D PRESS CONTACT
victoria.martindelatorre@ep.europa.eu
+33 3 88 16 42 98
+32 2 284 30 81