A. Rubio / L. Ayllón
The French Ambassador to Spain, Jean-Michel Casa, said yesterday, during the celebration of the French National Day, that “the 14th of July, when we celebrate the storming of the Bastille in 1789, is a timeless and universal symbol of the freedom of peoples that is particularly relevant now that populisms are trying to pervert representative democracy and call into question the universality of human rights”.
At a reception at his residence in Madrid, the Ambassador focused his speech on the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine. Casa noted that “this year’s celebration is once again characterised by sobriety, given the circumstances we are living through”. “Although the circulation of the coronavirus has been greatly reduced thanks to active vaccination policies,” he said, “we must remain cautious in the face of a resurgence of infections.
Referring to the “Russian war of aggression against Ukraine”, the head of the French mission said that “it has added to the economic and social consequences of the pandemic, unfortunately weakening the most vulnerable. He added that “the need for fraternity is now more necessary than ever”. In the face of these adversities, he said that France, Spain and the European Union as a whole have shown “admirable solidarity”. And he recalled that both countries advocated from the outset “with one voice” for a European recovery in response to the challenges facing our economies.
“In the face of Russia’s terrible aggression against Ukraine, Europeans have once again had a common voice and we have spared no effort to welcome refugees,” he continued, recalling that European countries have contributed “significant economic and military aid to the Ukrainians”. For this reason, in the presence of the Ukrainian Minister Counsellor, Dmytro Matiushenko, he explained that his government had decided to dedicate this year’s celebration of 14 July to “Ukraine, its heroic people and their struggle for freedom”.
He also stressed the need for an increasingly integrated partnership between the European Union and NATO. He also welcomed the approval of Ukraine’s candidate status for EU membership.
The Spanish government was represented at the reception by the Ministers of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska; Culture, Miquel Iceta; Agriculture, Luis Planas; and the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Ángeles Moreno.
Also present were senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other departments, as well as a large group of businessmen and personalities from the world of culture.
After the ambassador’s words, a Guardia Civil band played the national anthems of Spain, France and the European Union, as is traditional, and on this occasion the Ukrainian anthem was also added as a tribute to that country.
