Relevant to Israel?

More Autonomy Approved for Catalonia
Friday March 31, 2006 5:01 AM

MADRID, Spain (AP) - Spain's lower house of parliament approved a divisive proposal Thursday to grant greater autonomy to Catalonia and boost the wealthy region's tax collecting and judicial powers.

Deputy Prime Minister Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega, said in Congress the charter would help modernize the Spanish nation. ``This text builds a stronger Spain,'' she said. The Popular Party, however, maintained its opposition to the charter, with party leader Mariano Rajoy describing it as ``a time bomb'' that could lead to the region's secession from Spain.

The charter, which refers to the north eastern region as ``a nation,'' provides that Catalonia will get a larger share of income tax revenues, valued tax and taxes on gasoline and tobacco. Regional authorities would also have a greater say over the court system, which in the rest of Spain is under the jurisdiction of the Spanish government.

Is this idea workable for Judea and Samaria?

Would Menachem Beginhad approved of it?

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UPDATE


My neighbor who originates from Catalonia sent me this comment:-

The monopolies (electricity, telephone, gas, railway, software and Internet, movies, television, mail...) and almost all American companies have their headquarters in Madrid and pay their taxes there (but making their business most in Catalonia). Yet, for instance, the control over Barcelona's airport should continue being held by a centralized state-owned company (a unique case in today's Europe!). And so and so...

This new statute is aimed to maintain the current Spanish control over the Central Catalonia's region (the one ruled from Barcelona: Majorca and Valencia are not considered part of Catalonia by Spain and France -- thus and obviously, Margalit or Rav Nissan are not Catalan people accordingly to them).

By the way, Catalan people are no nationalist. They prefer peace to independence. They seem much German Jewish people as are showed in The Pity of It All (a wondrous essay by Amos Elon, a book I should translate into Catalan, G-d willing).

The news about Catalonia are controlled by Madrid's and Barcelona's Spanish-nationalist press, as well. There are no foreign reporters living in Catalonia and writing from there, or being able to read and speak in Catalan.

Best regards.

Ariel