Tag: Catalonia Independece

• Thursday, October 12th 2017 - 11:39 UTC

  Five days countdown for Catalonia as Spain readies an impressive national unity day celebration

  

  Spain is preparing to celebrate its National Day, 12th October, amid a continuing political crisis sparked by Catalonia's disputed independence referendum. The public display of unity comes a day after PM Mariano Rajoy told parliament the country was facing the most serious threat to its 40-year-old democracy.

• Wednesday, October 11th 2017 - 14:15 UTC

  Catalonia president speech on independence triggers elation...and disillusion

  

  Catalan President Carles Puigdemont said on Tuesday he has a mandate to declare independence for the north-eastern Spanish region but is prepared to wait “a few weeks” in order to facilitate a dialogue. Puigdemont told the Catalan parliament a landslide victory in the disputed October 1 referendum on independence gives his government grounds to implement its long-held desire to break century-old ties with Spain but he is suggesting holding off.

• Tuesday, October 10th 2017 - 07:08 UTC

  Support for Catalonia president independence declaration rapidly weakening

  

  Catalan President Carles Puigdemont is facing growing pressure to drop plans to break from Spain ahead of a key address to the regional parliament. There has been speculation that he could announce a unilateral declaration of independence following a disputed referendum. France and Germany have both expressed support for a united Spain.

• Friday, October 6th 2017 - 07:57 UTC

  Top Spanish bank moving out of Catalonia because of independence scare

  

  Sabadell, the Barcelona-based bank, said it will move its legal base out of Catalonia following threats by the region's leaders to declare independence. Spain's fifth-biggest bank said it would start the process on Friday to move its legal domicile to Alicante. Its headquarters and employees will remain in Barcelona.

• Thursday, October 5th 2017 - 08:11 UTC

  European Commission supports Madrid: “Catalonia has chosen to ignore the law”

  

  Three full days after Catalonia’s controversial independence referendum, a top European Commission official finally spoke out about the issue tearing Spain apart. The Spanish government’s “proportionate use of force” was necessary to uphold the rule of law, Vice President Frans Timmermans said.

• Wednesday, October 4th 2017 - 07:02 UTC

  Catalonia expected to declare independence in matter of days; King says situation is extremely serious and calls for unity

  

  Catalonia will declare independence from Spain in a matter of days, the leader of the autonomous region has told the BBC. In his first interview since Sunday's referendum, Carles Puigdemont said his government would “act at the end of this week or the beginning of next”.

• Monday, October 2nd 2017 - 09:23 UTC

  Catalonia “closer to statehood”; Rajoy calls Spanish political parties to discuss the situation

  

  Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont said on Sunday that the Spanish region has won the right to statehood following a contentious referendum that was marred by violence. He said the door had been opened to a unilateral declaration of independence. Catalan officials later said 90% of those who voted backed independence in Sunday's vote. The turnout was 42.3%.

• Monday, September 25th 2017 - 10:40 UTC

  Madrid and Barcelona clash over control of the Catalonia police force

  

  Spain’s central government and regional Catalan authorities argued this weekend over who controls the regional police force that is considered key to the success of a planned independence vote for the north-eastern region. The exchanges came as thousands of Catalan separatists rallied in public squares in Barcelona and other towns on Sunday in support of a disputed referendum on independence of from Spain.

• Friday, September 22nd 2017 - 09:29 UTC

  Catalonia pro independence demonstrators fill streets of Barcelona wrapped in the “estelada” flag

  

  Thousands gathered on Thursday to demand the release of a dozen Catalan officials arrested in connection with a vote on independence that Spanish authorities are challenging as illegal. The demonstrators, who met at the gates of Catalonia’s judicial body in Barcelona, answered a call by pro-independence civic groups to stage long-term street protests against the police surprise crackdown one day earlier.

• Thursday, September 21st 2017 - 15:31 UTC

  Civil disobedience escalates in Catalonia as Madrid stamps on independence referendum logistics

  

  Spain’s prime minister called on Wednesday on Catalan separatist leaders to end their “escalation” as several thousand people took to the streets of Barcelona to protest at Madrid’s attempts to stop a banned referendum on independence.