Spain deploys threats to push EU recognition of minority languages
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Spain is attempting to muscle other EU countries into recognising Basque, Catalan and Galician as official languages of the EU — even going so far as to question the deployment of its troops in eastern states, write Barbara Moens and Andy Bounds.
Context: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez needs the votes of Catalan separatists led by the party Junts per Catalunya to pass substantive legislation in the Spanish parliament. They, as well as Galician and Basque parties, are demanding their language be officially recognised.
Spain failed in a 2023 bid to have the languages added to the EU roster, which already boasts 24 official ones. But tomorrow, EU ministers are scheduled to vote on the demand again.
Some worry the recognition could set a precedent for other minority languages, balking at the additional translation costs. To garner support for the measure, Madrid has used carrots and sticks — deeply upsetting some EU allies.
Madrid has offered to pay for the annual translation and interpretation costs of €132mn, although diplomats doubt whether Spain will continue picking up the tab in the long run.
But Spanish diplomats have also threatened that a lack of support could make Madrid rethink their defence commitments to some EU countries, such as their troops in the Baltics, officials from other countries said.
Spain, which is the sole major holdout on a plan for all 32 Nato allies to commit to raising defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP, has around 600 troops in Latvia as part of Nato’s forward defence deployments. It also has jets participating in patrols in the Baltic and several based in Romania.
A spokesperson for the Latvian permanent representation in Brussels declined to comment on the threats, which come as Nato fears Russian aggression against eastern European states.
“It’s bullying,” said a diplomat briefed on the threats. “And outrageous at a time like this.”
A person close to Spain’s foreign ministry said: “Spain’s commitment to the security of eastern Europe and the presence of Spanish troops in eastern European countries is firm and unconditional. It is not and has never been in question.”
“With regard to the co-official languages, the Spanish government is working with all member states so that the final wording of the document resolves any doubts they may have,” they added.
Some countries are pressuring Poland, which holds the rotating EU presidency, to pull the item from the agenda to allow for more talks.