This Sunday was a decisive day for the Catalans in Spain. For many years (and even centuries, according to some representatives of the pro-independence parties and movements) Catalonia has been passionately fighting for its right of self-determination and sovereignty. Catalonia has been several times deprived of its legal right to declare its economic, social, cultural and political independence from Spain. Madrid always stood against any attempts of separatists to take control of Catalonia: first of all, it would mean a total disaster for Spanish economy which has been supported by the money and industry of the richest region of Catalonia. The political positions of Spain in Europe and in the world would be much weakened as well as without Catalonia Spain would be no longer possible to sustain its huge debts and obligations towards European community.

However, Catalans decided to forget their common past and history with the Spanish nation (though not always cloudless for Catalans) and take the initiatiave in the process of their political self-determination. It’s difficult to imagine how much effort it cost them to persuade Catalonian citizens to vote for independence in the face of a threat to become an isolated and unrecognized state by the world community. But Catalans had no other choice: their country has been totally exhausted by constant political and cultural oppression from the Spanish government up to prohibition of the usage of the Catalan language in the central government bodies, and by increasing taxation and debt burden. On the international conference “The dialogue of nations” in Moscow 20 September, that was hosted by the Anti-Globalization movement of Russia, the representatives of the pro-independence party Solidaritat Catalana per La Independencia told the attendees about their problems as a part of the Spanish state and their determination to fight for their independence to the end.

Today Catalans are celebrating a double victory: one is of their independence, or at least a chance to win the independence in the nearest future, second is of democracy, according to Artur Mas, the leader of the nationalist coalition Junts pel Sí. However, Catalonia should be ready to face the resistance of the European Union bureaucracy and the unwillingness of the leaders of European countries to recognize the Catalans’ historical claim to statehood and that they are a country re-asserting their statehood. Hope the unity and courage of Catalonian people will help them achieve independency and become a sovereign geopolitical player.