– A look at your Twitter timeline clearly shows that you care about Catalonia. Is there a specific reason for it?
– Yes. I believe in the nations right to self-determination. I also believe that this is the best tool for us humans to ensure peace, stability and prosperity. We should ask ourselves, what is the alternative? Why should nations not be allowed to decide their own future in a peaceful and democratic way? When I studied law, around the millennium, I specialized in the right to self-determination, and when I finished my studies abroad, I went home again to the Faroe Islands, and went into politics to work towards full independence for our nation. Many nations around the world experience unfairness when it comes to lack of possibities to exercise their self-determination. But to have a nation, in Europe, in 2019, that wants the right to decide their own future, through self-determination, and this right is denied? That is, to me, unacceptable.

– In Spain, some people are even sent to jail for it…
– Regardless of whether you are pro-independence or not, and even regardless of whether you are pro-referendum or not, no one should be put in prison for a democratic referendum, arranging events, allowing a debate in the parliament, and exercising the right to self-determination. The Catalan crisis is a political crisis that needs political solutions and prison is for sure not the solution, as it only makes the crisis bigger. I can add that in October 2018 we arranged a conference on self-determination in the Faroe Islands. Representative from the Scottich National Party (SNP) explained the UK and Scotland case. Representative for the pro-independence parties in New Caledonia explained the France and New Caledonia case. Representative for our political party, Tjóðveldi, explained the Denmark and Faroe Islands case. And Carles Puigdemont explained the Spain and Catalonia case. Four different cases, showing how different the right to self-determination is used – or not used – today. I have been following the situation in Scotland closely for many years. I have also followed the situation in Catalonia for many years, but since the conference in the Faroe Islands in 2018, I have been following the situation in Catalonia much more closely. I believe that the European nations without a sovereign state have a lot to gain from cooperation and supporting each other. Even though we are different, we have so much in common.

Read full interview here.