The Popular Party (PP) is back to its old ways in Galicia with the language issue, always letting itself be dragged along by nationalism.<\/p>\n
The Faro de Vigo newspaper reported yesterday: \"The Galician government is open to teaching any subject in Galician \"provided there is the necessary unanimity\" and \"respecting linguistic balance\".\"<\/em><\/a> This publication refers to statements made by the Galician government's Counselor of Culture, Jos\u00e9 L\u00f3pez Campos<\/strong>, during the presentation of a \"Plan for the Galician Language\".<\/p>\n The Galician newspaper notes: \"When questioned by the media, L\u00f3pez Campos highlighted several issues, including the possibility the document opens for negotiating the use of the language in education and for more subjects to be taught in Galician<\/strong>. The text makes no reference to the 2010 decree, but it does \u00abinclude the possibility that at some point there may be certain adjustments that allow the regulation to be updated,\u00bb he stated, always respecting the principle of linguistic balance between Galician and Spanish<\/strong>.\"<\/em> The councilor stressed that these possible changes would be subject to the \"necessary unanimity\" with the opposition.<\/p>\n Thus, the PP is offering the separatists of the BNG and the socialists of the PSOE yet another betrayal of<\/strong> the promise of \"linguistic freedom\" that Feij\u00f3o made in 2009<\/a>, a promise made to Galician families at a time when both the PSOE and the BNG, which governed Galicia in coalition between 2005 and 2009<\/strong>, were imposing an educational model that discriminated against Spanish, offering more hours of instruction in Galician than in the national language. It so happens that this is the same discrimination that the PP is now offering to the opposition.<\/strong><\/p>\n It so happens that a year ago the PP approved a political statement<\/a> (it can be read in full here<\/a>) which stated the following<\/strong> on page 12:<\/p>\n \"Spanish is the official and common language: all Spaniards have the duty to know it and the right to use it. We will ensure that national legislation guarantees the complete learning of Spanish at all stages of the education system<\/strong> and we will guarantee the right to use it in all areas. We advocate for a harmonious bilingualism<\/strong> that seeks a balanced coexistence between the co-official languages \u200b\u200bin the different territories.\"<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Obviously, discriminating against the learning of Spanish is neither \"cordial bilingualism\" nor \"balanced coexistence.\"<\/strong> That is privileging speakers of one of the official languages \u200b\u200bover speakers of the other. Privileges do not foster coexistence and are neither democratic nor cordial.<\/strong> With this policy that creates first- and second-class Galicians, what the PP is doing is giving in once again to nationalism, subordinating our linguistic freedom to nationalist whims<\/strong>. Whims that do not benefit the Galician language, but rather turn it into an excuse to promote a social engineering whose objective is the progressive exclusion of Spanish in Galicia for political purposes<\/strong> that have nothing to do with defending the rights and well-being of Galicians.<\/p>\n If they truly want to support the Galician language, they must stop using it as a political tool<\/strong>, because this use is what is generating increasing rejection of this beautiful language among young people. Languages \u200b\u200bshould be used freely, and if people prefer to use one or another, politicians should refrain from imposing anything<\/strong>, because it is people who have rights, not languages. Furthermore, the PP is making it clear once again that it cannot be trusted<\/strong>, that it is a party that one day promises one thing and then betrays it, a party that says one thing in one part of Spain and the opposite in another<\/a>.<\/p>\n ---<\/p>\n
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