A new show of solidarity of the Catalan institutions towards the Ukrainian people. The speaker of the Catalan Parliament, Laura Borràs, has sent a letter to her Ukrainian counterpart, Ruslan Stefanchuk, to convey the support of the Catalan people following Vladimir Putin's aggression: "I am writing to you on behalf of the Parliament of Catalonia to pass on to you the solidarity of the Catalan people. We consider the Russian army's attempt to occupy your country completely unacceptable", begins the letter, which Borràs sent in both Catalan and Ukrainian.
Borràs passes on to Stefanchuk, who presides over Ukraine's unicameral Verkhovna Rada, that many Catalan citizens and organizations are creating a network of solidarity to help refugees and victims of war, a solidarity that she says is not new and that recalls the situation experienced after the nuclear catastrophe at the Chernobyl power plant in 1986: "Now those bonds of solidarity are being strengthened and we are moved by them to let you know that you are not alone today either," she said.
Borràs adds that the Catalan Parliament "always defends and always will defend" that all conflicts, including territorial ones, can be resolved "peacefully through dialogue and negotiation", and that is why she conveys the will to stop the war: "We call on the European Union to stand by you to stop the aggression of which you are victims."
Shows of support
The Parliament of Catalonia has made several demonstrations of its support in recent weeks. As soon as the Russian attack began, the speaker of the house convened a meeting of the Committee of Parliamentary Spokespeople in which all parties - except Vox and the CUP - agreed on a letter condemning the military actions unleashed by the Russian Federation, an aggression that the text called a "flagrant violation of international law." In the letter, the parties also sided with the peaceful resolution of conflicts, demanding an end to hostilities and a return to negotiation and diplomacy.
Furthermore, yesterday, the plenary session of Parliament opened with the presence of an honorary guest, the consul general of Ukraine in Barcelona, Artem Vorobyov. He was greeted with a standing ovation from the chamber: all groups applauded him except the CUP, which displayed anti-war posters. During his presence in the chamber, Borràs told the house that wars show the worst side of humanity, and therefore called for a firm response, with conviction, in defence of the freedom and the lives of those who suffer its consequences in the severe and cruel way.
Applause in the Catalan Parliament for the consul general of Ukraine in Barcelona, Artem Vorobyov.