Madrid Moves to Block Catalonia Independence Bid

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy vowed Thursday to take legal action to block an independence referendum in Catalonia which he branded an “intolerable act of disobedience”.

Rajoy gathered his cabinet for an emergency meeting to formally ask Spain’s Constitutional Court to once again rule against the plebiscite called for October 1.

He also said all 947 mayors in Catalonia would be warned over their “obligation to impede or paralyse” efforts to carry out the vote which he said is unconstitutional.

Catalonia’s regional parliament, which is controlled by separatists, voted late on Wednesday to push ahead with the referendum in the wealthy northeastern region which includes Barcelona, sparking the country’s deepest political crisis in 40 years.

The Catalan parliament will also meet again later Thursday to examine a “transition law” laying out how the region would function if the majority of its 7.5 million inhabitants vote in favour of seceding from Spain.

Spain’s top prosecutor meanwhile said “criminal charges are being prepared” against the leaders of the Catalan parliament as well as officials in the regional government who prepared the referendum decree and that voting materials would be seized.

General prosecutor Jose Manuel Maza told reporters the officials could be charged, among other things, with disobedience, abuse of power and embezzlement.

Maza added that regional prosecutors, assisted by police, had been told to investigate any actions taken to organise the vote.