On 15 February,
the Catalan National Assembly (a civil society umbrella body) convened a
roundtable to discuss the country's future defence and security needs
and policies. Participants discussed the country’s needs in these areas
and the corresponding necessary capabilities and their cost. They also
considered Catalonia’s duties to NATO and the wider international
community. While a variety of opinions were voiced on certain issues, a
consensus was reached on the need to move forward as soon as possible in
some key areas, without waiting for a formal declaration of
independence. In particular the following three were considered to be
very relevant in the near future, and suitable for development before
sovereignty is fully resumed:
• Intelligence
Services. The Catalan Government, like any other government in the
world, needs accurate information and intelligence. A dedicated agency
must be created, with a full-spectrum capability and ready to cooperate
with counterparts in other countries. This is particularly necessary in
view of the threat from non-state actors, and of Catalonia’s key
geographical location, which makes it attractive to all sorts of
criminal and other armed organizations. Furthermore, it is essential in
order to reassure the international community that Catalonia’s
resumption of sovereignty will result in increased security in the
Western Mediterranean, thus benefitting other countries.
•
Constabulary-type police and coast guard. A gendarmerie-type police
force, combining police and light-infantry capabilities, is needed for
two reasons. First, to confront threats by criminal networks equipped
with military weapons and often comprising former servicemen. Second, to
cooperate with the UN, NATO, and other international organizations, in
post-conflict stabilization operations, where the need is often felt for
units able to prevent and investigate crime in counterinsurgency
scenarios. In addition, a coast guard is an essential institution in a
littoral state, and could evolve in a short period of time from existing
security agencies.
• National
civil service. Security is a much wider concept than defence, involving
among others human security, food security, environmental protection,
civil protection, search and rescue, and the prevention and fight
against wildfires. Many citizens wish to contribute their time and
skills in these areas, without necessarily joining the relevant services
on a full-time basis. A National Civil Service may allow them to do so,
while developing and building their new skills and learning new ones.
An additional advantage would be a greater capability to deal with the
unexpected, such as large-scale natural or industrial disasters. The
participants at the roundtable were Pepe Beunza (first conscientious
objector in the Spanish Armed Forces), Alex Calvo (professor of
International Relations at European University), and Amadeu Recasens
(advisor to the Council of Europe on police and security matters). A full video recording of the event is available at:
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