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Catalonia warns of civil disobedience as Madrid readies direct rule

By Julien Toyer and Paul Day

 

A banner reading "Criminal separatism nazi diabolic murderer" is seen at a bus stop in Barcelona, Spain, October 23, 2017. REUTERS/Ivan Alvarado

 

MADRID (Reuters) - Catalonia said on Monday it was confident all officials including police would defy attempts by Madrid to enforce direct rule on the region in a dispute that is raising fears of unrest among Spain's European allies.

 

The Spanish government has invoked special constitutional powers to fire the regional government and force elections to counter an independence drive. A vote in the national Senate to implement direct rule is due on Friday.

 

But leaders of the secessionist campaign said a referendum on Oct. 1, in which 43 percent of the electorate voted, gave them a mandate to claim independence from the rest of Spain.

 

"It's not that we will refuse (orders). It is not a personal decision. It is a seven million-person decision," Catalonia's foreign affairs chief Raul Romeva told BBC radio.

 

Romeva was asked whether he believed all institutions, including the police, would follow orders from Catalan institutions rather than obey the Spanish government.

 

"And from that perspective, I have no doubt that all civil servants in Catalonia will keep following the instructions provided by the elected and legitimate institutions that we have right now in place (in Catalonia)," he said.

 

Catalan authorities said about 90 percent of those who took part in the referendum on Oct. 1 voted for independence.

But only 43 percent of the electorate and 1 in 3 Catalans participated, with most opponents of secession staying at home.

 

The crisis over the wealthy Catalan region has raised fears among European countries of a spillover to other parts of the continent.

 

Two wealthy regions of northern Italy voted overwhelmingly on Sunday for greater autonomy, though those referendums were held in line with the constitution and were not binding on Rome. Separatists are active in Belgium's Flanders region, and France's Corsica has long been home to a secessionist movement.

 

At a European Union summit last week, leaders sought to minimise Spain's crisis with Catalonia and described the secession bid as a domestic issue.

 

"NO VALID INTERLOCUTOR"

 

Civil disobedience was also backed by the far-left party CUP, a key support for Catalonia's pro-independence minority government in the regional parliament, which has called Madrid's actions an aggression against all Catalans.

 

"An aggression which will be met with massive civil disobedience," the CUP said in a statement.

 

Several hundred Catalan municipalities said they were against direct rule from Madrid and asked the Catalan parliament to vote on a motion rejecting it.

 

Some teachers and firemen also said they would not recognise Spain's authority.

 

"We will not recognise as valid interlocutors those people who are not representatives of popular legitimacy," the teachers' union USTEC said in a statement.

 

"We will be where we should be in this moment: with the Catalan institutions and with democracy as it fights for its survival."

 

Spain has said it would fire top Catalan officials if they did not comply with orders but it has remained vague on how it plans to implement direct rule if lower ranking civil servants decide not to follow instructions.

 

Foreign minister Alfonso Dastis said the central government was not planning any arrests.

 

Around 4,000 national police who had been shipped in for the referendum have remained in Catalonia. This comes on top of 5,000 state police already based in the region.

 

They usually act as a back-up to Catalonia's own 17,000-strong police force, the Mossos d'Esquadra, though they have also been seen reinforcing security at some official buildings in Catalonia's capital Barcelona.

 

"NO DIVINE AUTHORITY"

 

Catalan president Carles Puigdemont has called the Catalan parliament to meet this week to agree on a response to Madrid, something many observers said could pave the way for a formal declaration of independence.

 

The assembly will meet on Thursday to agree a response to direct rule.

 

Puigdemont was also considering appearing before the Spanish Senate to explain his position.

 

The Cercle d'Economia, an influential Catalan business association, called on Puigdemont to resolve the crisis by calling a snap election before direct rule becomes effective.

 

Catalonia risked heading into prolonged and uncontrolled insecurity and civil unrest, it said.

 

"Its consequences are unpredictable but, in any case, dramatic in terms of self-government, coexistence, economic growth and employment," it said in a statement.

 

More than 1,300 companies have decided to transfer their legal headquarters out of Catalonia due to the current uncertainty, according to the national companies registry.

 

However, Catalan government spokesman Jordi Turull said calling a snap election was not an option.

 

An opinion poll published by the El Periodico newspaper on Sunday showed a snap election would probably have results similar to the last ballot, in 2015, when a coalition of pro-independence parties formed a minority government.

 

Spain's Deputy Prime Minister said Puigdemont would be out of a job once direct rule was enforced and Madrid would install its own representative. The Spanish government has said it would call a regional election within six months.

 

"They are president of the regional government and senior figures in that government because of the constitution," said Soraya Saenz de Santamaria during a radio interview.

 

"They are not entrusted with that role by any divine authority," she said.

 

(Additional reporting by Jesus Aguado in Madrid and Alistair Smout in London; Editing by Ralph Boulton and Richard Balmforth)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-10-24

[Somtamnication]

Amazing how Europe is starting to break up. And not a shot fired by the Soviets Russians! 

[BuaBS]

7 hours ago, Somtamnication said:

Amazing how Europe is starting to break up. And not a shot fired by the Soviets Russians! 

Sadly they haven't started to break up yet. Not even Brexit . They are trying but not succeeding.

[tifino]

 

why cannot the Catalonians enjoy the same as what Andorra achieved 800 years ago

[Baerboxer]

7 hours ago, tifino said:

 

why cannot the Catalonians enjoy the same as what Andorra achieved 800 years ago

 

Because that was 800 years ago!

 

Catalonia isn't a sovereign state. It's a region within a sovereign state. It cannot simply make up it's own laws as it pleases, and ignore the country's laws and courts.

 

Why should all the Spanish people be dictated to by a minority of people in one of the country's regions?

[tifino]

44 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Because that was 800 years ago!

 

Catalonia isn't a sovereign state. It's a region within a sovereign state. It cannot simply make up it's own laws as it pleases, and ignore the country's laws and courts.

 

Why should all the Spanish people be dictated to by a minority of people in one of the country's regions?

well, in Andorra's case, it has sovereignty in this it is a dual Principality, where both Spain and France heads of state (originally the French president and the Spanish King) shared a Princeship Head of State role - but Andorra is self-ruling.

  All Barcelona needs, is to 'reign' in some long-disposed royal blood from the Spanish family line, circa Spanish civil war, and become a Principality

[ChiangMaiLightning2143]

Once independence becomes a reality.

 

Where you come from mistah?

 

Ka ta lo ni YA!

 

Arai na?

 

 

 

 

[Grouse]

8 hours ago, tifino said:

 

why cannot the Catalonians enjoy the same as what Andorra achieved 800 years ago

Because we don't need more duty free supermarkets

[tifino]

 

but, Thai wives will love all those DF style-accessory outlets, as shopfronts along every street, as in Andorra la Vella

[Grouse]

I think we should encourage all greedy bastards to break away and leave the less fortunates to flounder! What an example for a "Christian" country! They already have great autonomy and devolution!

 

600 companies have already moved their registered offices to Madrid!

 

Disobedience? Where's my running shoes? Come out here boy!

 

Mind you, maybe Brexit Britain can get a trade deal ?