On Clara Ponsatí's first day as an MEP, she has also made her first speech at the European Parliament: speaking up strongly for the rights of linguistic minorities across Europe - with particular reference to the case she holds closest, the Catalan language.
"Catalan does not get the respect it deserves in the main EU member state where it is spoken, Spain," she said.
Ponsatí was taking part in a press conference in the European Parliament to support the European citizen initiative Minority Safepack, which aims to protect national and linguistic minorities throughout Europe.
"In a world of great diversity where everyone is very concerned about climate change and respect for biological diversity, the respect for minority languages is a vital part of that," said the former Catalan education minister. She began her speech in Catalan, before delivering most of it in English. Below is the entire address:
"Catalans feel that the defence of our language is the defence of our civil rights, and in Spain right now these two things are extremely linked," explained Ponsatí. She mentioned the judicial repression in Catalonia, noting the "detail" that the pro-independence politicians tried for rebellion were unable to have their trial in Catalan."That was one more expression of the Spanish state's abuse of civil rights for Catalans."
"When there is a minority whose linguistic rights are not respected," said Ponsati, "their civil rights are not being respected either."
The Minority Safepack initiative aims to improve the protection of the 50 million people in Europe who belong to national and linguistic minorities. "Minorities make Europe richer," says the initiative, which has collected over a million signatures asking the EU to improve the protection of these groups and strengthen cultural and linguistic diversity in Europe.
What is needed, says Minority Safepack, is "a pact between minorities and majorities to create favourable conditions for linguistic and cultural diversity to thrive."