Catalan president says cannot accept Spain’s 'attack'

By Alyssa McMurtry

MADRID

In response to Spain triggering measures on Saturday to dismiss the leaders of Catalonia's government and force regional elections, Catalonia's president called for a plenary session to debate how the region would react.

"Catalan institutions and the people of Catalonia cannot accept this attack," said Carles Puigdemont in a televised speech on Saturday night, hours after a Spanish council of ministers passed Article 155, which will give Madrid control of Catalonia’s government once it is passed in Spain’s Senate.

In his speech, Puigdemont did not directly mention voting on independence in the upcoming plenary session, as he had threatened to do in response to the Spanish government’s application of the law that allows it to take control of the Catalan government.

Instead, he asked the Catalan Parliament to convene a parliamentary session to "debate and decide on the attempt to liquidate our self-government and our democracy, and act accordingly".

In enacting Article 155, Spain's central government plans to dismiss Puigdemont along with other Catalan ministers, and trigger regional elections within six months in order to bring Catalonia "back to legality" after it held a controversial independence referendum. Since then, Catalonia has temporarily suspended an independence declaration.

Puigdemont spoke in Catalan, Spanish and English in reaction to the measures, – appealing to his "brothers and sisters" in Europe.

"You should know that what you are fighting for in your home, we are fighting for in Catalonia. And we will continue to do so," he said in English.

The EU has repeatedly said Catalan independence is a Spanish internal issue and that Catalonia would automatically lose EU status if it became an independent country.

By Alyssa McMurtry

MADRID

Instead, he asked the Catalan Parliament to convene a parliamentary session to "debate and decide on the attempt to liquidate our self-government and our democracy, and act accordingly".

Puigdemont spoke in Catalan, Spanish and English in reaction to the measures, – appealing to his "brothers and sisters" in Europe.

"You should know that what you are fighting for in your home, we are fighting for in Catalonia. And we will continue to do so," he said in English.

The EU has repeatedly said Catalan independence is a Spanish internal issue and that Catalonia would automatically lose EU status if it became an independent country.