We decry one regime while ignoring another

WITH the government of Zimbabwe shutting down opposition newspapers and intimidating political opponents, there has been widespread condemnation (rightly so) by the international community, including the European Union and the Irish Government.

However, while the same thing happens in the Basque country, where is all the criticism of the Spanish regime from these same institutions and governments, particularly their EU colleagues.

The reality is that the silence of the EU in the face of such draconian and undemocratic measures as those introduced by the Spanish authorities against Basque nationalists, including the banning of legitimate political parties in favour of Basque independence, exposes their hypocrisy when they feign outrage over Zimbabwe.

So, what is the difference between the Zimbabwean and Spanish regimes?

Well, while the Zimbabwean authorities shut down newspapers, intimidate, arrest and imprison opposition activists, the Spanish regime does all this but goes even further by banning a political party with a significant electoral mandate. Who said the spirit of Franco is dead and gone?

Gerry Casey,

7, Rosewood Court,

Maugheraboy,

Sligo.