The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Spain rules out blocking Scotland bid to join EU
Brussels: Madrid ‘opposed’ to Scottish independence but won’t exercise veto
Spain would not block an independent Scotland’s bid to join the EU, the country’s foreign minister has said.
Alfonso Dastis told journalists in Brussels that, while Madrid is still opposed to the break-up of the UK, it would not exercise its veto on Scottish membership of the Brussels bloc.
He stressed, however, that membership negotiations would take place.
Asked directly whether Spain would veto an independent Scotland joining the EU, The Guardian reported Mr Dastis as saying: “No, we wouldn’t. We don’t want it (Scottish independence) to happen but if it happens legally and constitutionally, we would not block it.
“We don’t encourage the break-up of any member states, because we think the future goes in a different direction.”
He added: “They would have to join the line of candidates at some point and would have to start negotiations.”
Mariano Rajoy, the Spanish Prime Minister, said Scottish independence would be “bad for the region, for the state and for the entire EU” the day before the 2014 vote.
This view now appears to have softened following Scotland’s 62% remain vote in the EU referendum.
Another reason for the shift in public attitude could be the SNP’s cooling of relations towards Catalonian independence.
Stephen Gethins, the party’s Europe spokesman, insisted the Nationalists would be neutral on the issue.
The Courier revealed in February that SNP high command has been advised by senior figures on the continent to distance themselves from the bitter dispute in a bid to curry favour with Spanish politicians.
The European commission has confirmed that an independent Scotland would have to apply to join the bloc.
This week however, Lord Kerr, who wrote Article 50, said that an independent Scotland would see “a very swift accession negotiation”.
Scottish Conservative MEP Ian Duncan claimed any deal for an independent Scotland joining the EU would be “likely to lead to sweeping concessions, especially for our fishermen”.
He added: “The truth is the decision would rest in the hands of all 27 member states, each of which would undoubtedly ask for something from Scotland in return.”