Spain certainly appears to know how to foster national unity. The country’s public prosecutors are expected to charge the president of Catalonia for holding a vote on independence in defiance of a court injunction.
The region’s leader, Artur Mas, is likely to be charged with disobeying a court order and misusing government funds.
Mas had planned to hold a referendum on the question of independence from Spain, but Madrid blocked it by asking the constitutional court for its opinion. Until a ruling is made, the referendum should have been suspended.
Catalonia went ahead with the vote but announced it was a “consultation” and had no legal ramifications.
More than 2.3 million people voted last weekend, out of the region’s 5.4 million eligible voters. Of those who did go to the polls, 80% opted to leave Spanish embrace.
Court sources indicate that Mas is likely to face charges.
Mas told the regional parliament that he wasn’t concerned about the charges. “Can you imagine the image they would broadcast to the world if they acted against a government for putting out ballot boxes? It would be a dramatic image for Spain.”
Spanish Prime Minister Rajoy appears adamant that no formal referendum on secession will take place, insisting that the country’s constitution does not allow regions to take unilateral decisions on sovereignty.
Rajoy invited Mas to explore changing the constitution, a lengthy process that observers believe would fail. “This is what he should have done from the beginning. It’s the only legal and responsible way to move forward with his plans.”
Comments
Hitherto all eyes had been on the Basques as they had never identified themselves as being Spanish. And the PM himself, a Galician, has his own Galician terrorist group to deal with before sorting out Spain's problems.
What is interesting about Catalunha is that it was never an independent state - although happily confused its case with Scotlands a few months ago.
It had been a Roman province straddling the Pyrenees and into France 1500 years ago.
More developed as better able to trade with its motherland Rome than say Portugal.
What is sad about having these 'habitually' lower developed countries in the EU is that Spain will once again start ratcheting up the noise about the UK and Gibraltar. As Portugal keeps its 'secret' Ultimatum War going.
Rather than Spain face head on its own problems of identitiy, corruption, tax avoidance, misuse of public funds, political incompetence etc etc
In fact a separate Catalonia would be of help to the EU, which seeks to break down national entities into infra-national regions. Much easier for the EU to cope with.