The leader of Carles Puigdemon, who is expected to address the local parliament today, is under pressure to abandon Catalonia's declaration of independence. Madrid is concerned that it may unilaterally declare Catalonia's independence from Spain.
Spain's central government, facing its biggest political crisis in the country since the 1981 military coup attempt, has said it will respond immediately to any such unilateral move.
Spanish Vice President Soraya Saenz de Santamaría has called for prudence in dramatic tones. "I am addressing reasonable people in the Catalan government. Do not jump into the void because you will take the world with you. "If there is a unilateral declaration of independence, decisions will have to be made to restore law and democracy."
In a televised interview Sunday, however, Putzdemon insisted that Catalonia would implement the law on the referendum, which provides for the declaration of independence if the results showed a "yes" vote. "The declaration of independence, which we do not call a 'unilateral' declaration of independence, is provided for in the referendum law as an application of the results. "We will implement what the law provides," he said.
One week after the referendum in Catalonia, one after the other, major companies and banks based in the region are announcing their departure for the duration of the political crisis. The companies Inmobiliaria Colonial and Abertis are the last to transfer their headquarters to Madrid and Cellnex also announced the same. Banks and banking institutions have announced that they are moving from Valencia to Palmas de Mallorca. Grupo Planeta has announced that it will make a similar move and move to Madrid if the Catalan Parliament unilaterally declares independence.
Spain's finance minister has blamed the Catalan government for the companies' departure.
With the European Union monitoring the unrest in Spain and the violence on the day of the referendum, Germany and France opposed the Spain-Catalonia split.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke on Saturday to Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, expressing her support for Spain's unity and encouraging dialogue.
France has said it will not recognize Catalonia if it unilaterally declares independence. The Minister for European Affairs, in fact, stressed that if the secession is recognized, Catalonia will automatically be led to leave the European Union. "This crisis must be resolved through dialogue at all levels of Spanish politics," he said.
Source: Newsbeast.gr