The Spanish government has threatened Catalan separatist consequences, regional president Carles Puigdemont should call independence on Tuesday. Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría said in broadcaster COPE: “If you declare independence, re will be decisions to restore justice and democracy.” Members of Catalan regional government, “who still respect democracy and freedom,” urged m to “abstain from jumping into nothing”.
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Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said in an interview with world, Spain will not be divided and national unity will remain intact. His government will apply all that is right to preserve that and to prevent Catalonia from splitting.
It was originally expected that Puigedemont already announced independence of Catalonia on Monday. But parliamentary session was banned by Constitutional Court. That is why Catalan head of government now wants to hold a speech to parliament on Tuesday. Observers assume that he will n proclaim independence. DasGesetz provides that Catalonia’s regional parliament, within 48 hours, will declare independence as soon as re is an approval of population for this step according to voting authority. That was case since Friday, when official final result was announced. Thus, 90 percent of electorate voted for independence, but less than half of Catalan voters had participated in referendum.
A unilateral declaration of independence is also controversial among senior Catalan politicians. For example, Barcelona’s mayor Ada Colau called on regional president Puigdemont to refrain from move. The outcome of referendum cannot be a basis for a declaration of independence. Colau warned against a danger to social cohesion. At same time, she made Prime Minister Rajoy responsible for worsening of crisis. Rajoy was to withdraw police units sent to Catalonia again, mayor demanded. Nor should Rajoy have dispossessed Catalan institutions.
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In addition to a declaration of independence, re are two or options imaginable: Puigdemont could once again appeal to Government in Madrid to adopt a conciliation and to hold talks with regional government. So far, Rajoy has categorically rejected this. A third possibility is that Puigdemont only reads or declares a symbolic declaration of independence, and that one will work towards autonomy. Neir would have any immediate consequences.
Catalonia can lose autonomy
However, if Puigdemont was to announce independence on Tuesday, Spanish government has several options. Currently most discussed is application of constitutional article 155. Rajoy had not excluded this step on weekends. In accordance with this article, central Government of a region may accept autonomy if it does not comply with Constitution, does not fulfil its obligations or seriously violates interests of whole country. This would allow region of Catalonia to be placed under control of Spain and lose any scope for manoeuvre.
Minister President Sáenz de Santamaría also spoke in interview of article 155. Should ir government be forced to apply article, as many representatives of people as possible should support this step. That is why Spanish government party is currently conducting talks with or parties, prime Minister said.
Merkel and Macron support Rajoy
Support for his hard line against regional government of Catalonia gets Rajoy from home and abroad: Hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated for unity of country on weekends. The federal government and France’s president Emmanuel Macron also signalled Rajoy support: Chancellor Angela Merkel had confirmed on weekend in a telephone conversation with Rajoy “her support for unity of Spain,” said government spokesman Stefan Seibert. Both would have exchanged discussions on Saturday on how to strengn internal Spanish dialogue within framework of Constitution, said Seibert. Merkel also discussed situation in Spain with EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Saturday.
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France was of view that a unilateral declaration of independence from side of Catalonia would not be accepted. The status of Spanish region could not be determined by controversial independence referendum, said European minister Nathalie Loiseau TV channel CNews. “The crisis must be resolved through dialogue at all levels of Spanish policy.” However, if re is to be independence, Catalonia must immediately leave European Union.
