Margallo, the embassies and the EU

Spanish Foreign Minister Margallo travelled to Barcelona yesterday. Rather than repeating that we will “forever wander in outer space”, he used the post-9N tact (let them quarrel among themselves) of the iron hand in a velvet glove. In other words, he has appealed before the Constitutional Court against the Catalan government’s Law of Foreign Action, but has also stated that he will not be closing down any of Catalonia’s offices abroad.

Mr Margallo argued that supporting Catalonia’s exporting efforts from Spain’s diplomatic legacies is more effective. However, the reason why the Catalan government is opening its own offices abroad --even though there are Spanish embassies already in place-- is similar to the reason why Spain keeps its embassies open, despite the UE: Spain can defend Spanish interests better when they differ from the EU’s. Catalonia feels the same way. Writer Albert Sánchez Piñol could name an example.