Could Scottish, Catalan independence votes reshape Europe?
(Reuters) - The separatist flag of Catalonia - with its yellow and red stripes, blue triangle and white star - was a rare sight on the streets of Barcelona a decade ago. Now, it is almost ubiquitous.
Two thousand km to the north in Scotland, the blue-and-white saltire has always been popular. But that flag too increasingly symbolises something new, that after more than 400 years within the United Kingdom Scotland may be on the verge of demanding a divorce.
For all the focus on the risk of the euro zone falling apart, some suspect this decade may be better remembered as the time when two of Europe's most permanent states began to break apart.
Pro-independence parties in Scotland and Catalonia are preparing for referendums next year that they hope could see their regions secede for good - which some analysts suspect might encourage others in Europe to follow suit.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/01/29/uk-europe-politics-independence-idUKBRE90S0J320130129
The article doesn't mention Venice which also seeks separation from Italy. Whilst its extremely unlikely that Westminster would oppose an EU membership application by Scotland the same cannot be said of either /both Spain and Italy with regard Catalonia and Venice. An application to join the EU requires acceptance by all member states, that has always been the case , and Spain and Italy would veto the applications against which there is no provision for appeal.
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This area is NOT separating from Spain. My other great grand father came from Wales and it is not separating from the U.K.
I was born here and so were my parents. we do not want to separate from the USA. I live in California and there are GOP members who want to divide California so they can have there own world.
I think the zones that want to separate from their countries are just plain CRAZY or GREEDY. I say let them go and watch them CRASH.....
