We Won't Follow Orders From Spanish Gov't
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Catalonia will 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.
Catalonia's Leader
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 1 October, in which 43 per cent of the electorate voted, gave them a
mandate to claim independence from the rest of Spain.
Spain's President
"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 Mr. Raul Romeva disclosed to newsmen.
Mr. 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 per cent of those who took part in the
referendum voted for independence. But only 43 per cent 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, although 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.
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, Mr. 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, although they have
also been seen reinforcing security at some official buildings in
Catalonia's capital Barcelona.
The Catalan Leader, Mr. Carles Puigdemont had 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." He revealed.
Mr. Puigdemont was also considering appearing before the Spanish Senate to explain his position.
The Cercle d'Economia, an influential Catalan business
association, called on Mr. 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, Mr. Jordi Turull said calling a snap election was not an option.
An opinion poll published by El Periodico 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, Mrs. Soraya Saenz de Santamaria
said Mr. 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," she said during
a radio interview.
"They are not entrusted with that role by any divine authority," she said.
Compiled by: Rostrum
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