Catalonia ‘Breaks Out’ Of Spain Oct. 9

Catalan President Carles Puigdemon has set Monday, October 9 as Catalonia Independence Day from Spain.

This comes three days after the Catalan government held independence referendum, which Spain declared illegal.

Puigdemon accused King Felipe of Spain of standing in the way of mediation, which he says would have brought the country out of its current crisis.

“The king endorses the discourse and policies of the government of [prime minister Mariano] Rajoy, which have been catastrophic for Catalonia and deliberately ignore the millions of Catalans who do not think like them,” he said.

“Not like this. Your decision yesterday disappointed many people in Catalonia.”

King Felipe had said on Tuesday night the Catalan authorities were attempting to break “the unity of Spain” and said their push for independence could put at risk the country’s social and economic stability.

Puigdemont told the BBC he would ask the region’s parliament to declare independence following the referendum, in which only a minority of Catalans voted.

He said: “This moment calls for mediation. We have received various offers in the last hours and we will receive more.

“I am sure that in the next few days we will show the best of our country when the institutions of Catalonia will have to apply the results of the referendum.

“Today we are closer than yesterday to our historic wish.”

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s government responded by calling on Catalonia to “return to the path of law” first before any negotiations.

Mireia Boya, a Catalan lawmaker from the pro-independence Popular Unity Candidacy (CUP) party, said a parliamentary session to evaluate the results of the referendum would commence following the declaration of independence.

“We know that there may be disbarments, arrests … But we are prepared, and in no case will it be stopped,” she said on Twitter.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that participants in the referendum opted overwhelmingly for independence, but turnout was only about 43 percent as Catalans who favor remaining part of Spain mainly boycotted the ballot.