Dombrovskis causes stir over Catalan independence movement

  • 2013-09-16
  • From wire reports

Latvia’s ambassador to Spain has been summoned after the prime minister of the Baltic State last week made comments about Catalan independence, reports Spain’s Foreign Ministry. It follows after hundreds of thousands of Catalans formed a 250-mile-long human chain last Wednesday calling for the region to break away from Spain. The chain was inspired by a similar act done in 1989 in the Baltics, calling for independence from the Soviet Union, reports Reuters.

After being asked whether Latvia would recognize Catalan independence, Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis said: “Provided there is legitimacy of the process, I would say, theoretically, why not?”
The prime minister was later quoted as saying that said Latvia had no formal position on the issue.
The Latvian ambassador had been asked to call in to explain the prime minister’s statements, the Foreign Ministry said.
Nonetheless, the Catalan people were pleased with Dombrovskis’ comments.