Spain allows Catalan, Basque and Galician languages in Parliament. EU ponders use in Brussels

By JOSEPH WILSON and LORNE COOK
Associated Press

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Spain’s Parliament has allowed its national legislators to use the country’s minority languages of Catalan, Basque and Galician for the first time on Tuesday. The reform of the linguistic policy of Spain’s lower chamber was a demand of Catalan separatist parties to support the appointment of a Socialist as the new Parliamentary Speaker last month following inconclusive national elections in July. The Parliament provided simultaneous translation with earpieces for the 350 members of the chamber. Over 11 million people in Spain speak a second language in addition to Spanish. Spain’s government is also trying to have Catalan, Basque and Galician recognized as languages that can be used in the European Union.