|
Puigdemont made a symbolic declaration of independence on
Tuesday night, only to suspend it seconds later and call for
negotiations with Madrid. [nL8N1ML2NZ]
Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has given him until Monday
to clarify his position - and then until Thursday to change his
mind if he insists on a split - threatening to suspend
Catalonia's autonomy if he chooses independence.
But far-left Catalan political group CUP called on Puigdemont to
make an unequivocal declaration of independence in defiance of
the deadlines.
"If (the central Madrid government) wants to continue to
threaten and gag us, they should do it to the Republic that has
already been claimed," the party said.
The CUP only holds 10 seats in the 135-seat Catalan parliament.
But Puigdemont's minority government relies on its support to
push through legislation and cannot win a majority vote in the
regional parliament without its backing.
The wealthy region's intention to break away after a referendum
has plunged Spain into its worst political crisis since an
attempted military coup in 1981.
Sources close to the Catalan government said Puigdemont and his
team were working on an answer to Rajoy though they declined to
say what line he might take.
The CUP statement echoes the position expressed late on Thursday
by influential pro-independence civic group Asamblea Nacional
Catalana which said: "Given the negative position of Spain
toward dialogue, we ask the regional parliament to raise the
suspension (on the declaration of independence)."
But the leader of Puigdemont's party, Artur Mas, who served as
the region's president until 2016 and is still believed to
influence key decisions, said on Friday declaring independence
was not the only way forward.
"If a state proclaims itself independent and cannot act as such,
it's an independence that is merely aesthetic," he told Catalan
television TV3.
"The external factor must be taken into account in the decisions
that will be made from now on," he said.
The European Union, the United States and most other world
powers have made it clear they wanted Catalonia to remain within
Spain.
"If we allow Catalonia - and it is none of our business - to
separate, others will do the same. I do not want that," Jean
Claude Juncker said in a speech at Luxembourg University.
(This refiled version of the story adds dropped word in
paragraph six).
(Writing by Julien Toyer; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
[© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2017 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
|
