Catalonia vows to continue independence push despite court orders

PanARMENIAN.Net - Pro-independence leaders in Catalonia have vowed to press ahead with plans to break away from Spain, despite a decision by the Constitutional Court to suspend the secession process, according to BBC News.

Catalan Vice-President Neus Munte said it was the political will of the regional government to carry on with plans for independence in 18 months.

Spain's government earlier appealed to the Constitutional Court to intervene. The court warned Catalan leaders they needed to comply with the order.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy earlier on Wednesday, November 11 announced he had taken the case to the Constitutional Court. He called the motion a "blatant disregard for the state's institutions" and accused the pro-secessionists of "trying to do away with democracy".

In a judgement that had been expected, the court's 11-judge panel agreed to hear the government's lawsuit against the Catalan move, meaning the motion is automatically suspended for a number of months while legal hearings are held.

The panel also agreed to Madrid's request that the judges "personally" notify acting Catalan President Artur Mas, his cabinet and the president of the regional assembly, Carme Forcadell, of the consequences should they decide not to abide by the court's ruling.

The pro-secession parties had fully expected their move to be declared illegal and as part of the motion had argued that the court lacks legitimacy.

Opinion polls suggest a majority of Catalans favour a referendum on independence, but are evenly divided over whether to secede.

Catalan nationalist parties secured a majority of seats in September's elections but fell short of winning half the vote. They said before the vote that they considered it a de facto referendum on independence from Spain.

Two big separatist parties make up the "Together for Yes" ("Junts pel Si") coalition but they needed the help of the far-left CUP (Popular Unity) party to secure an absolute majority in the Catalan parliament.

The rise in tensions between Madrid and Catalonia comes just weeks before Spaniards vote in the general election, on 20 December. It is not yet clear who will win the election but every party will want wealthy Catalonia to remain a part of Spain, observers say.