EUROPE ment and the central government continued on a non-violent level. On March 14, some municipalities called for tax disobedience against the central state. On July 18, the Catalonian president and Convergence and Union (CiU) leader, Artur Mas, exhorted other regions to object to a government’s austerity plan, according to which the regions had to reduce their public deficit to 1.5 percent of the economic output. Additionally, he blamed the central government to be responsible for the tense economic situation of Catalonia. On September 11, the Catalan national holiday, up to 1.5 million people demonstrated peacefully in Barcelona against the government’s fiscal policy, for greater tax autonomy, and for independence. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy rejected the Catalan’s demands in a meeting with Mas on September 20. In response, Mas announced snap elections. On September 27, the Catalan regional parliament adopted a resolution backing Mas’ demands for a referendum on independence during the next legislative period in case CiU won the snap elections. The central government declared a referendum unconstitutional and on October 9, parliament voted against the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) party’s motion that asked for the executive permission to hold such a referendum. In snap elections on November 25, the pro-independence parties CiU and ERC emerged as the strongest parties. On December 12, CiU and ERC agreed to hold a referendum on independence before the end of 2014. joe Spain Intensity: Conflict parties: Conflict items: (ETA, PNV / Basque provinces) 2 Change: ETA, PNV vs. government secession Start: 1959 The conflict between Basque Homeland and Freedom (ETA) and the central government concerning the secession of the Basque Country from Spain continued on a non-violent level. Since ETA declared a permanent ceasefire on 01/10/11, President of the Government Mariano Rajoy entered into a dialog with the President of the Basque regional government, Patxi López, agreeing on fundamentals to marginalize ETA. On February 10, French police found a weapons cache in Capbreton, southwestern France, allegedly belonging to ETA. The political wing of ETA apologized for the first time on February 26 for the group’s armed struggle. On March 8, ETA urged France and Spain to open direct talks on a definitive end to the conflict and on the situation of arrested ETA members. On May 3, the National Court sentenced former head of ETA Félix Alberto López de la Calle Gauna, alias Mobutu, to 81 years in prison. In August, about 700 ETA members in French and Spanish prisons, including former leader Arnaldo Otegi, went on hunger strike to demand the release of terminally ill ETA member Iosu Uribetxebarria. A few days later, the government agreed to release him. In the regional elections on October 21, the proindependence Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) and EH Bildu, a separatist coalition, became the strongest parties with 27 and 21 seats, respectively. PNV leader Inigo Urkullu became Basque Prime Minister. On October 28, police arrested ETA top leader Izaskun Lesaka and another suspected ETA mem- ber in Macon, France. On November 12, about 15,000 people demonstrated in Bayonne, southwestern France, in support of arrested Basque separatists. On November 24, ETA announced a possible disbanding under certain conditions, especially the transfer of detained members to Basque prisons. A total of nineteen people suspected of having links to ETA were arrested this year, twelve of them in France. joe United Kingdom (Nationalists / Northern Ireland) Intensity: Conflict parties: Conflict items: 3 Change: Start: 1968 Sinn Féin, RAAD, RIRA, The IRA vs. DUP, Alliance Party, SDLP, UUP, UDA, UVF, government secession The conflict between the antagonistic communities over the secession of Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom continued. On May 24, the Alliance Party withdrew from the fiveparty working group aimed at promoting better community relations and greater integration in Northern Ireland. Alliance leader David Ford said there had not been enough progress on the issues of integrated education, segregated housing, or illegal flags. On July 19, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Owen Paterson, criticized the Stormont Executive over the delay in the publication of the community relations strategy (CSI). On October 16, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams declared republican ambitions for Irish unity had been boosted by the decision to hold a referendum on Scottish independence in 2014 [1 United Kingdom (SNP / Scotland)]. On December 3, the Belfast City Council voted to fly the union flag at city hall only on designated days, compromising on the nationalists’ pledge to take down the flag altogether. A loyalists’ protest outside the building erupted into violence, leaving fifteen police officers injured. On December 8, Assistant Chief Constable Will Kerr said loyalist paramilitary groups were actively involved in orchestrating the disorder. At least 29 police officers were injured and 40 people arrested as a result of protest-related violence. Throughout the year, paramilitary violence continued. The Republican Action Against Drugs (RAAD) claimed responsibility for the murder of a man in Buncrana, County Donegal, Republic of Ireland, on February 9. On September 3, Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA) key figure Alan Ryan was shot dead in the Clongriffin area of Dublin, Republic of Ireland. Three men were subsequently charged over paramilitary displays at his funeral. On October 24, the Home Office declared the threat level in Northern Ireland remained severe still regarding an attack by dissident republicans very likely. Again, on November 1, a prison officer was shot and killed in County Armagh. On November 12, a new paramilitary group calling itself The IRA claimed responsibility for the murder. jb 26
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