Basque party to appeal banning from ballot

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L27558238.htm

MADRID, March 27 (Reuters) - Basque pro-independence party Aukera Guztiak will appeal a Spanish court ruling banning it from contesting regional polls on April 17 because of its purported ties to armed separatist group ETA.

Spain's Supreme Court on Saturday banned Aukera Guztiak (AG) from fielding candidates in the Basque parliamentary election, ruling that AG's campaign was an attempt by ETA and outlawed party Batasuna to subvert laws banning them from running for office.

"Aukera Guztiak will appeal the ruling from the Supreme Court, not because we have much hope but in order to exhaust all the legal avenues and to confront all the anti-democratic measures taken against Aukera Guztiak," party spokeswoman Marije Rodriguez de Lera told reporters on Sunday.

The appeal goes to Spain's Constitutional Court, which is expected to make a decision before formal campaigning in the Basque region begins on April 1.

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This is not very smart. If Spain takes away the political solution to this mess what other options does that leave these people? Stupid.