Spanish parliament rejects initiative to recognize Kosovo and Metohija in landslide vote

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The Spanish Parliament today rejected an initiative presented by some, including Catalan parties, calling for Spain to recognize Kosovo and Metohija as independent. The initiative was rejected with 293 votes against, 27 abstentions, and 25 votes in favor.

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The proposal to put this initiative on the agenda of today's session was made earlier by the Catalan separatist party Junts, whose MP Eduard Pujol said on Tuesday that there is "the rule of law" in Kosovo and Metohija and that the decision to declare independence was "recognized by the Hague court (ICJ)."

He was supported by separatist Basque and other Catalan parties, that want these parts of Spain to secede from their country as well.

The initiative was strongly opposed as it was introduced by the conservative parties VOX, the People's Party (PP) and the Socialists' Party of Galicia.

Carlos Flores Juberias from VOX stated at the time that there are many reasons why Spain should not do this and that Spain's position is respected by other countries, that no one is forcing Spain to do it, and that recognition of someone's territory as a separate state is made by a country based on its national interests.

He also recalled the issue of international law and United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244, which confirmed the commitment of UN member states to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the FR Yugoslavia (of which Serbia is the successor), and of other countries in the region.

"And no subsequent resolution, much less so the misleading decision of the International Court of Justice ICJ) from July 22, 2010, which ignored any kind of analysis about whether international law gave Kosovo the right to unilaterally declare independence, has led to a different conclusion," he said.

Ricardo Tarno Blanco from the People's Party said that the request to recognize Kosovo and Metohija is one of the mantras Catalan separatists repeat the most, and stressed that Catalonia is not at all similar to Kosovo and Metohija because there was no expulsion of 700,000 citizens, killings or military occupation.

He added that nothing has changed as far as the PP is concerned in terms of international law or the political situation regarding a recognition of so-called Kosovo.

"We do not recognize the unilateral declaration of independence from 2008. Likewise, we believe that we must continue, together, to promote peace and stability in the Balkans," he concluded.

Obdulia Taboadela Alvarez from the Socialists' Party of Galicia said that Spain remains firm in its position not to recognize Kosovo, but has been working for a long time within the international community on negotiations aimed at resolving the conflict.

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)