Tuesday, May 21, 2013

TV show slams 'Nazi' Catalan language policies

 
The programme on the public broadcaster Telemadrid implied Catalan nationalists used the same brainwashing methods as the Nazis in Germany. Photo: Telemadrid

TV show slams 'Nazi' Catalan language policies




The regional broadcaster Telemadrid has launched an attack on Spain's Catalan and Basque nationalists with a programme which claims both groups are using Nazi-style propaganda to brainwash people.


The video, aired as part of the public broadcaster's Zoom programme, shows language experts exploring the theme of "language perversion".
It begins with footage of the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin and the Nazi leader of Germany Adolf Hitler before transitioning to images of the president of the Spanish region of Catalonia Arturo Mas.
"Stalin created propaganda and then the Nazis perfected it,"  the news story begins. "Now it has become even more powerful without many of us even being conscious of the fact. It is the perversion of language."
The segment then highlights the way Catalan and Basque nationalists are "perverting" the Spanish language for their own means.
Zoom takes the Catalans to task first, decrying the use of terms such as "derecho a decidir" (the right to decide), "consulta" (consultation) and "autoderminación (or self-determination).
Viewers are then told that the two major pro-indepedence parties in Catalonia — the CiU and the ERC — want to open a debate on sovereignty for the region. The narrator then states: "What they really want though is rupture".
These words are played over images of frightening hooded figures waving Catalan flags.
"For people who want to hide something, language is a great weapon for manipulating (people)," the head of the Department of Language of King Juan Carlos University Fernando Vilches tells the program.
"We have forgotten that language is supposed to unify, and not divide," says Vilches while footage of Catalan books laid out on a table is shown.
The segment's host then states that pro-independence Catalonians have chosen to use the term 'normalización lingüistica' (linguistic normalization) instead of what they really mean — "the imposition of the Catalan language".
Cristina Ortega then tells viewers that "changing the meaning of words is a strategy common in totalitarian regimes".
"We need to call a spade a spade," Ortega says as she hold up a copy of the RAE dictionary, the official dictionary of Spain's national language society.
The final section of the short segment focuses on Basque nationalism with Ortega saying that the term "jailed murderer" should be used instead of "political prisoner" and that "ETA gunmen" is to be favoured over "military apparatus".
Click here to watch the full three-minute video (in Spanish).
George Mills (george.mills@thelocal.com)


Autor/s: Albert Segura i Laura Pous / ACN

El Museu Jueu de Berlín troba estúpid de comparar el catalanisme amb el nazisme

La directora demana que es prohibeixi legalment el llenguatge d'incitació a l'odi
Cilly Kugelmann, directora de programació del Museu Jueu de Berlín. Foto: Albert Segura.


El Museu Jueu de Berlín troba 'estúpid' i una 'provocació molt simple i infantil' que es compari el nacionalisme català amb el nazisme. En una entrevista a l'ACN, la directora de programació del centre, Cilly Kugelmann, demana que es 'prohibeixi legalment aquesta incitació a l'odi perquè fa patir algunes víctimes'. Precisament, la Generalitat ha exigit a Telemadrid una rectificació per haver equiparat Mas amb Hitler i ha demanat la destitució de la delegada del govern espanyol a Catalunya, María de los Llanos de Luna, per haver homenatjat la División Azul.

Kugelmann reclama 'al més alt nivell una posició ètica que deixi clar que aquesta societat no vol aquesta classe de llenguatge'.

Directora de programació del Museu Jueu de Berlín des del 2002, Kugelmann creu que l'estat espanyol 'necessita distància' per poder-se reconciliar amb el seu passat, perquè 'la generació que va formar part del franquisme, que ara es considera criminal' encara viu i 'mai no farà autocrítica'. 'És qüestió de temps'; la 'segona o tercera generació posterior als testimonis ha d'interpretar la història amb llibertat, d'una manera diferent', mentre que els qui van viure el franquisme 'no el criticaran perquè es criticarien a ells mateixos', opina. I defensa que a l'estat espanyol hi hauria d'haver 'museus d'història contemporània que expliquessin què era el franquisme i què significava per a la gent que el va sofrir, quins crims es van cometre i com ho viu la societat postfranquista'.

'Prendre mesures legals pot ajudar-hi'

Kugelmann assegura que 'prendre mesures legals' contra el llenguatge d'incitació a l'odi pot anar bé. 'Prohibir-lo per llei no vol dir que desaparegui' ni servirà 'per a reeducar la gent' que en l'esfera privada pot fer allò que vulgui, però sí que és positiu en la mesura en què la societat 'fa un canvi i diu que el llenguatge d'incitació a l'odi no és acceptable', explica Kugelmann.

Obert el setembre de 2001, el Museu Jueu de Berlín ha rebut 7,2 milions de visites en els primers deu anys de funcionament, especialment de joves (el 34% del seu públic té entre 20 anys i 29). Només l'any passat, 36.000 ciutadans de l'estat espanyol (un 5% del total) van visitar-ne l'exposició permanent, de més de 3.000 metres quadrats. Un turista espanyol de cada sis dels que viatgen a la capital alemanya hi entren. Kugelmann (Frankfurt, 1947) va marxar a Israel el 1966, va treballar en un quibuts de Galilea i va estudiar història i història de l'art a la Universitat Hebrea. El 1971 va tornar a Alemanya, va estudiar Ciències de l'Educació Sociologia i Psicologia i del 1986 al 2000 va treballar al Museu Jueu de Frankfurt, com a comissària i responsable dels programes d'educació i de relacions públiques.

Saturday, May 18, 2013

The Spanish Government's Delegate in Catalonia pays tribute to Hitler's soldiers | Catalan News Agency

The Spanish Government's Delegate in Catalonia pays tribute to Hitler's soldiers | Catalan News Agency

The Spanish Government's Delegate in Catalonia pays tribute to Hitler's soldiers | Catalan News Agency | REPUBLIC OF CATALONIA TIMES | Scoop.it
Josep Sort's insight:
María de los Llanos de Luna, from the People’s Party (PP), gave a diploma of honour to a brotherhood of soldiers and supporters of the ‘Divisón Azul’, a division of Spanish volunteers who fought in the Nazi army on the Eastern Front during the Second World War.

Spanien und der Faschismus Delegierte ehrt Nazi-Einheit


    Spanien und der Faschismus

    Delegierte ehrt Nazi-Einheit

    Eine Regierungsdelegierte überreicht einem Mann in faschistischer Uniform die spanische Flagge. Er trat für die División Azul an. Diese kämpfte damals für Hitler.von Reiner Wandler


    „Vergangeheitsbewältigung“: Im „Tal der Gefallenen“ befindet sich Francisco Francos Grabstätte. Es ist heute Touristenattraktion und Anhängertreff.  Bild:  reuters
    MADRID taz | Ein Foto auf Facebook sorgt für Aufregung in Spanien. Das Bild zeigt María de los Llanos de Luna, die Delegierte der spanischen Zentralregierung in Katalonien, wie sie einem Mann in Uniform der spanischen Falange, der faschistischen Partei der Franco-Diktatur, die Hand reicht und eine Ehrenurkunde übergibt.


    L'escàndol de l'homenatge de Llanos de Luna a la División Azul nazi arriba a Alemanya

    El diari TAZ.de se'n fa ressò


    L'escàndol per l'homenatge de la delegada del govern espanyol a Catalunya, María de los Llanos de Luna, a la División Azul nazi ha arribat a Alemanya. El digital TAZ.de se n'ha fet ressò amb un article en què mostra la sorpresa per un homenatge a combatents de l'exèrcit nazi a l'estat espanyol. Ni Llanos de Luna ni el govern espanyol no han fet cap gest de rectificació, ans al contrari, han justificat l'homenatge contra la petició de dimissió de la majoria dels partits.
    El govern espanyol justifica Llanos de Luna
    El govern espanyol no desautoritza María de los Llanos de Luna, ni la destituirà, tal com demana la Generalitat, per haver participat en un acte de la guàrdia civil on es va lliurar un diploma a la Hermandad de Combatientes de la División Azul nazi. Fonts de La Moncloa que cita l'ACN donen per tancada la qüestió amb el comunicat que va fer la guàrdia civil dijous, on adduïa que en aquell acte també s'havien homenatjat aviadors de la república, i recorden que un ex-membre de la División Azul ja va desfilar en els actes del dia de la hispanitat del 2004, quan José Bono era ministre de Defensa.
    L'executiu espanyol lleva importància a la polèmica que ha causat l'actuació de Llanos de Luna i no fa cas de les demandes de la vice-presidenta catalana, Joana Ortega, que ahir mateix va demanar-ne la destitució, tot recordant que 'la delegada del govern espanyol acostuma a ferir els sentiments dels catalans'. Ortega recorda que no és la primera vegada que Llanos de Luna actua en aquesta direcció i que, en comptes de solucionar els problemes dels ciutadans, en crea de nous.

    El govern espanyol diu que ja havia passat anteriorment que un membre de la División Azul fos honorat en un acte oficial. I destaca que l'any 2004, quan Bono era ministre de Defensa espanyol, va convidar una representació d'aquest cos a participar en els actes del dia de la hispanitat. A més, remarca que la guàrdia civil ja va donar explicacions aquest dijous en un comunicat on afirmava que totes les associacions que van participar a l'acte són 'legalment i degudament regulades' i que l'acte no tenia rerefons ideològic.

    Informació relacionada: El govern espanyol paga subvencions a la Hermandad de la División Azul

    Saturday, May 11, 2013

    'Catalonia: A region apart' (BBC, 1979)



    El vídeo oblidat de la BBC sobre la Catalunya del 1979

    'Catalonia: A region apart' explicava per què Catalunya era diferent i què volien els catalans
    L'escriptor i enginyer químic Josep Grau-Bové ha recuperat un vídeo inèdit a casa nostra: un reportatge de la BBC del 1979 sobre Catalunya, produït dins d'una sèrie de cinc reportatges titulada 'Realidades de España'. El cinquè eposidi es titulava 'Catalonia: a region apart', on s'explicava per què Catalunya és diferent i què volien els catalans. Grau-Bové l'ha posat a disposició de tothom a YouTube.
    Heus ací el reportatge:

    Grau-Bové explicava fa dies en el seu bloc que havia aconseguit una còpia del vídeo en VHS mitjançant un amic seu resident a Glasgow. I ara ha pogut posar-lo a la xarxa.

    En el reportatge s'hi veuen imatges de la manifestació de l'Onze de Setembre del 1977, i s'hi explicava que els catalans tenien un profund desig d'autogovern, i esmenta els precedents de la Guerra dels Segadors i imatges d'arxiu del president Macià al balcó del Palau de la Generalitat. S'hi entrevistava també l'historiador i polític Josep Benet

    -----------------

    Thursday, May 09, 2013

    REPUBLIC OF CATALONIA TIMES CATALONIA IN WORLD NEWS Curated by Josep Sort

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    CATALONIA IN WORLD NEWS
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    Spanish Blogger Goes After Anti-Catalan Prejudice in Viral Video · Global Voices

    Spanish Blogger Goes After Anti-Catalan Prejudice in Viral Video · Global Voices | REPUBLIC OF CATALONIA TIMES | Scoop.it
    A YouTube video featuring an Andalusian Spanish blogger criticizing xenophobic attitudes in Spain toward the region of Catalonia has gone viral.
    Josep Sort's insight:
    She asserted that, in her native Andalusia, she was “raised to hate” the Catalan people and Catalonia as symbols of all Spain's ills
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    Spain court suspends Catalonia sovereignty claim

    Spain court suspends Catalonia sovereignty claim | REPUBLIC OF CATALONIA TIMES | Scoop.it
    Spain's Constitutional Court on Wednesday put a brake on Catalonia's drive for a referendum on independence by opening the door to a legal challenge against the region's claim to sovereignty.
    Josep Sort's insight:
    Catalonia's regional parliament in January passed a "declaration of sovereignty" which it said gave Catalonia grounds "to exercise its right to decide" its political future.
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    “In the EU nobody has any doubt about the feasibility of an independent Catalonia’, Roger Albinyana, Catalonia´s FA Secretary | Reagrupament International

    “In the EU nobody has any doubt about the feasibility of an independent Catalonia’, Roger Albinyana, Catalonia´s FA Secretary | Reagrupament International | REPUBLIC OF CATALONIA TIMES | Scoop.it
    Catalonia Independence explained to the World
    Josep Sort's insight:
    Is the EU more afraid of the impossibility of a Spain without Catalonia than of the feasibility of Catalonia as an independent state?-Absolutely. The problem is not whether Catalonia is feasible. Nobody has any doubt about it: we have an industrial base, an economic structure, a culture of performance of public institutions which do not allow for any doubt that Catalonia can exist as an independent state.
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    Spain and Taxes

    Spain and Taxes | REPUBLIC OF CATALONIA TIMES | Scoop.it
    The Wall Street Journal Europe writes that Madrid's attempts to take a bigger chunk from a shrinking pie aren't working out too well.
    Josep Sort's insight:
    Spain is pain!
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    Konfrontationen zwischen Spanien und Katalonien - Verfassungsexperte mahnt zur Verständigung | Europa heute | Deutschlandfunk

    Konfrontationen zwischen Spanien und Katalonien - Verfassungsexperte mahnt zur Verständigung | Europa heute | Deutschlandfunk | REPUBLIC OF CATALONIA TIMES | Scoop.it
    In Zeiten der Eurokrise wird in Katalonien die Idee einer Loslösung von Spanien wieder populärer. Der katalonische Nationalist und Verfassungsexperte Miquel Roca kann den Stimmungswechsel nachvollziehen, warnt aber vor einer Eskalation.
    Josep Sort's insight:
    Interesting!
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    ‘Barça, Pride, Barça’, the mosaic against Bayern | FC Barcelona

    ‘Barça, Pride, Barça’, the mosaic against Bayern | FC Barcelona | REPUBLIC OF CATALONIA TIMES | Scoop.it
    On Wednesday, the Camp Nou will feature 90,000 cards in the colours of the Catalan flag and of Barça together with the match slogan. The only part of the stadium not to feature the mosaic will be area assigned to the Bayern fans.
    Josep Sort's insight:
    Squad, give me 5!
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    Scottish Independence Would Mean Loss of Pound, Osborne Warns

    Scottish Independence Would Mean Loss of Pound, Osborne Warns | REPUBLIC OF CATALONIA TIMES | Scoop.it
    The British finance minister said that London, taking a lesson from the euro zone crisis, would be unlikely to form a currency union with an independent Scotland.
    Josep Sort's insight:
    Crying Wolf!
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    Rajoy's measures against linguistic immersion questioned by Brussels and the Spanish State Council | Catalan News Agency

    Rajoy's measures against linguistic immersion questioned by Brussels and the Spanish State Council | Catalan News Agency | REPUBLIC OF CATALONIA TIMES | Scoop.it
    Josep Sort's insight:
    Holy Spaniard Inquistion attacks again!!
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    Egypt Independent closes, Catalan show update

    Follow The Stream on Al Jazeera: YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/show/thestream TWITTER: https://twitter.com/AJStream INSTAGRAM: http://www.instagram.com/ajs...
    Josep Sort's insight:
    Spain Inquisition Again!
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    Catalan Wikipedia hits the 400,000 articles milestone during 35-hour edit-a-thon — Wikimedia blog

    Catalan Wikipedia hits the 400,000 articles milestone during 35-hour edit-a-thon — Wikimedia blog | REPUBLIC OF CATALONIA TIMES | Scoop.it
    Josep Sort's insight:
    The GLAM movement in Catalonia has been very active the past few years. Edit-a-thons and workshops have taken place in all kinds of institutions, but the one that was held this April in Fundació Miró in Barcelona (Catalonia), co-organized by Amical Viquipèdia, was really special: the edit-a-thon lasted for 35 consecutive hours, split in three session. Moreover, during the first hours of the edit-a-thon, Catalan Wikipedia reached 400.000 articles – a magical coincidence that made the event even more special.
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    Eleven town halls pay their taxes to the Catalan Tax Agency instead of the Spanish one | Catalan News Agency

    Eleven town halls pay their taxes to the Catalan Tax Agency instead of the Spanish one | Catalan News Agency | REPUBLIC OF CATALONIA TIMES | Scoop.it
    Josep Sort's insight:
    The eleven municipalities that have handed in their taxes to the Catalan Tax Agency instead of directly doing it to the Spanish entity are Arenys de Munt (Maresme County), Llinars del Vallès (Vallès Oriental Conty), Premià de Dalt (Maresme County), Alella (Maresme County), and Gallifa (Vallès Occidental County) from the Province of Barcelona; Sant Jaume de Llierca (Garrotxa County), Ripoll (Ripollès County), Campdevànol (Ripollès County), Viladamat (Alt Empordà County), and Sant Julià del Llor i Bonmatí (Selva County) from the Province of Girona, in the North-Eastern part of Catalonia and Marçà, from the Priorat County, in the Province of Tarragona (Southern Catalonia).
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    Union leaders warn Labour that workers may vote for independence

    Union leaders warn Labour that workers may vote for independence | REPUBLIC OF CATALONIA TIMES | Scoop.it
    POWERFUL figures including Unite’s Scottish secretary Pat Rafferty urged Scots Labour leader Johann Lamont to provide “positive reasons” why people should vote to stay in Britain.
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    L'ONU, la Catalogne et l'autodétermination

    L'ONU, la Catalogne et l'autodétermination | REPUBLIC OF CATALONIA TIMES | Scoop.it
    La petite phrase lâchée, hier après-midi, par Ban Ki-moon en conférence de presse n'est pas passée inaperçue... Selon l'agence de presse catalane, interrogé sur le processus...
    Josep Sort's insight:
    Un référendum sur l'indépendance de la Catalogne doit être organisé en 2014 par le gouvernement autonome.
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    Spanish court suspends Catalonia’s declaration of sovereignty

    Spanish court suspends Catalonia’s declaration of sovereignty | REPUBLIC OF CATALONIA TIMES | Scoop.it
    Josep Sort's insight:
    The declaration, approved by the region’s parliament in January, described the 7.5 million Catalan people as “politically and legally sovereign” and nationalists saw it as a first, symbolic step towards independence.
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    MADRID: Spanish court suspends Catalan independence plan | McClatchy Tribune News Service | The Bellingham Herald

    MADRID: Spanish court suspends Catalan independence plan | McClatchy Tribune News Service | The Bellingham Herald | REPUBLIC OF CATALONIA TIMES | Scoop.it
    Spain's Constitutional Court on Wednesday declared illegal a sovereignty declaration by the northeastern region of Catalonia, which was designed to serve as a basis for a referendum on regional independence.
    Josep Sort's insight:
    That's an attack to democracy!
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    Education: new area of cooperation between Québec and Catalonia - MRIFCE - Ministère des Relations internationales, de la Francophonie et du Commerce extérieur

    Education: new area of cooperation between Québec and Catalonia - MRIFCE - Ministère des Relations internationales, de la Francophonie et du Commerce extérieur | REPUBLIC OF CATALONIA TIMES | Scoop.it
    The Ministère des Relations internationales, de la Francophonie et du Commerce extérieur conducts the Government of Québec's international involvement, with a view to promoting and defending Québec's interests and values...
    Josep Sort's insight:
    Interesting!
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    In Lean Years After Boom, Spain’s Graft Laid Bare

    In Lean Years After Boom, Spain’s Graft Laid Bare | REPUBLIC OF CATALONIA TIMES | Scoop.it
    At a time of painful austerity in Spain, corruption charges against figures like the former small-town mayor María Victoria Pinilla are stoking bitter resentment.
    Josep Sort's insight:
    Don´t say Spain. say Corruption
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    En mission au Mali : "Les Catalans ont un moral d'acier"

    En mission au Mali : "Les Catalans ont un moral d'acier" | REPUBLIC OF CATALONIA TIMES | Scoop.it
    En poste depuis plusieurs mois au Mali, la brigade Serval est commandée par le général perpignanais Barrera. Entretien.Le général Bernard Barrera commandant la brigade Serval au Mali...
    Josep Sort's insight:
    Catalans soldiers ... in the French Army, of course.
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    “This is a Humankind cause”, Alfred Bosch, MCD for ERC-RCAT-SI | Reagrupament International

    Catalonia Independence explained to the World
    Josep Sort's insight:
    Great Speech... with flowerpower elements
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    Unemployment in Catalonia reaches 24.53% by the end of the first quarter of 2013 | Catalan News Agency

    Unemployment in Catalonia reaches 24.53% by the end of the first quarter of 2013 | Catalan News Agency | REPUBLIC OF CATALONIA TIMES | Scoop.it
    Josep Sort's insight:
    Time to break free!
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    Barça Regal beats Panathinaikos Athens 64-53 and classifies for Euroleague Basketball Final Four | Catalan News Agency

    Barça Regal beats Panathinaikos Athens 64-53 and classifies for Euroleague Basketball Final Four | Catalan News Agency | REPUBLIC OF CATALONIA TIMES | Scoop.it
    Josep Sort's insight:
    Great!
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    Catalan Spring Onion Feast | Catalonia Produce | The Daily Meal

    Catalan Spring Onion Feast | Catalonia Produce | The Daily Meal | REPUBLIC OF CATALONIA TIMES | Scoop.it
    If you don't know calçots, you don't know your onions
    Josep Sort's insight:
    Learn about it!
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    Goodbye Spain, Hello Europe?

    Goodbye Spain, Hello Europe? | REPUBLIC OF CATALONIA TIMES | Scoop.it
    A time traveller hopping from Barcelona in 2008 to the same city in 2013 could be forgiven for thinking his TARDIS had jumped a few decades into (...)
    Josep Sort's insight:
    The Catalan independence process should not be seen as Catalonia turning its back on the world, Europe or even Spain itself. Indeed, while the short-term effects of a yes-to-independence vote would certainly be disruptive, in the mid-to-long term the Catalan society and political class see the nation firmly anchored to a federal Europe.
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    Carretero: “Who would understand not having a self determination referendum during the current term?” | Reagrupament International

    Carretero: “Who would understand not having a self determination referendum during the current term?” | Reagrupament International | REPUBLIC OF CATALONIA TIMES | Scoop.it
    Catalonia Independence explained to the World
    Josep Sort's insight:
    It is therefore our responsibility, of all those who want to make our country a successful one, to help and support the only suitable way to reverse the present situation which is a most needed Unilateral Declaration of Independence made by the Parliament of Catalonia as our best and major representative body.
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    George Kerevan: Devolved tax step in right direction - Comment - Scotsman.com

    George Kerevan: Devolved tax step in right direction - Comment - Scotsman.com | REPUBLIC OF CATALONIA TIMES | Scoop.it
    FANS of central finance and its scope for equalising the regions, Labour have dipped a toe into reality by exploring fiscal autonomy, writes George Kerevan
    Josep Sort's insight:
    Interesting!
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