Cracks show in the EU as Catalans back independence
Crowds cheer in streets of Barcelona but Spain imposes direct rule and Juncker warns of threat to unity
THE EU’S most senior official warned last night that “more cracks” were emerging in the bloc after the Catalan parliament declared independence from Spain, plunging the country into political and economic turmoil.
Madrid responded to the vote by dissolving the Catalan parliament and dismissing Carles Puigdemont as president of Catalonia and his government.
Mariano Rajoy, the Spanish prime minister, announced that regional elections would be held in December and said the unprecedented act of imposing direct rule on the regional was needed to “recover normality”.
The national police may be deployed to ensure Catalonia is kept under Madrid’s control, raising fears of violent scenes similar to those that followed the independence referendum at the start of the month.
“[The EU] doesn’t need any more cracks, more splits ... we shouldn’t insert ourselves into what is an internal debate for Spain, but I wouldn’t want the European Union to consist of 95 member states in the future,” said Jeanclaude Juncker, the European Commission president.
The crisis marks the most serious attempt by a region within an EU state to break away from the bloc, though movements demanding greater independence exist in several countries.
Thousands of pro-independence activists clapped and cheered in the streets of Barcelona as the votes were counted, before breaking into a spontaneous rendition of Catalonia’s anthem.
Many drank from bottles of Cava, the sparkling wine produced in Catalonia, as they waved the region’s red-and-yellow flag and hugged each other.
But in Madrid, the senate reacted by granting sweeping powers to Mariano Rajoy, the Spanish prime minister, which will allow him to impose direct rule over the rogue region.
“Spain is a serious country, a great nation, and we are not going to watch while a few individuals try to liquidate our constitution,” Mr Rajoy said, as he appealed for calm and pledged to restore “legal order” in Catalonia.
“I have dissolved the parliament of Catalonia and on December 21 there will be elections in that region,” he said. “I have decided to call those free, fair and legal elections to restore democracy. We never wanted to reach this situation.” The beleaguered prime minister held a crisis cabinet meeting yesterday evening, as the US, France and Germany reiterated their support for a united Spain.
Theresa May also rejected the independence vote and said it was crucial that unity in Spain was upheld.
“The UK does not and will not recog- nise the Unilateral Declaration of Independence made by the Catalan regional parliament. It is based on a vote that was declared illegal by the Spanish courts,” she said. “We continue to want to see the rule of law upheld, the Spanish Constitution respected, and Spanish unity preserved.”
Donald Tusk, the European Council president, said Madrid “remains our only interlocutor” following the independence vote. “I hope the Spanish government favours force of argument, not argument of force,” he said.
A senior Spanish official said the justice ministry was now pursuing rebellion charges against those responsible for the vote, including Mr Puigdemont.
Under Spanish law, rebellion can be punished with up to 30 years in prison, with shorter penalties if the act of rebellion does not result in violence. The Catalan resolution, which Madrid has dismissed as illegal, was passed by 70 votes to 10 and caused shares in Spanish companies, particularly Catalan banks, to drop sharply.
Caixabank, Spain’s third largest lender, fell by around 5 per cent while Sabadell, the country’s fifth largest lender, fell roughly 6 per cent.
Mr Rajoy’s powers were granted to him under Article 155 of the Spanish constitution, designed to prevent the country’s 17 regions breaking away. It is understood that a new leadership
‘I have decided to call free, fair and legal elections to restore democracy. We never wanted this situation’
structure will be imposed on the region’s Mossos d’esqudra police force, whose current chief, Major Josep Lluís Trapero, is already facing a judicial investigation for alleged sedition.
Madrid may also assume power over the region’s finances, including taxes and all public spending approved by Catalan officials.
Catalonia’s public services will be subject to direct control from Madrid, potentially including the public broadcaster TV3, which has been accused of bias towards the pro-independence government.
Speaking after the vote, Fernando Martínez-maíllo, chief spokesman for Mr Rajoy’s Popular Party, said the Spanish government would “proceed in a matter of hours to restore legality in Catalonia with the application of Article 155.” But the main secessionist group in Catalonia, the Catalan National Assembly (ANC), called on civil servants to refuse orders from the Spanish government in an act of “peaceful resistance”.
Roughly the size of Belgium, the wealthy Catalan region accounts for about 16 per cent of Spain’s population and a fifth of its economic output. Resentment towards interference from Madrid has been brewing for years, and earlier this month sparked an independence vote deemed illegal by the central government and the courts. While fiercely protective of their language, culture and autonomy, restored at the end of the 1939-1975 dictatorship of Francisco Franco, Catalans are deeply divided on independence.
Authorities there said 90 per cent voted Yes in the unregulated October plebiscite but turnout was only 43 per cent as many who oppose a split boycotted the referendum.
That vote was marred by violence, with more than 1,000 hurt in police clashes, according to figures issued last week by the Catalan health department.
The EU was fiercely criticised for its slowness in condemning the violence, despite its track record of taking a hard line against crackdowns on democracy in the Middle East and Asia.
Mikko Karna, a Lapland MP in Finland, said he intended to submit a motion to his parliament recognising the fledgling country. Adopting the motion would put the Scandinavian country on a collision course with the EU.
1,000 The Catalan health authority’s total of people injured in clashes with police during the independence vote on Oct 1