Page 11 - Ulpan Or E-Tone (24.10.17) Advanced Level

E-Tone™: Ulpan-Or Weekly News Digest

Item #2 (Advanced Level)

Catalonia vs. Spain

Do you want Catalonia to become an independent republic? This is the
question that will decide tomorrow the fate of seven and a half million

people in the richest region in Spain, which is responsible for twenty

percent of the country’s economy. The region’s district speak Catalan, take
pride in the local parliament – the Generalitat, which allows them

autonomy in health, education, there’s even a local police, but they’re not

settling for this. The Spanish democracy, only forty years old, gave the
Catalans quite a few freedoms in the years following General Franco’s

death, but demanded loyalty to the king in return. The fear in Madrid isn’t
just the loss of tourism in Barcelona and Costa Brava, but that the

referendum in Catalonia will re-awaken similar ambitions in other districts

like the Basque Country or Andalusia. Rajoy’s government decided to
thwart the vote at all costs. Many question marks stand over the vote

tomorrow: will the thousands of Spanish police officers sent to Catalonia

forcibly prevent the vote? Will the parliament implement its decision and
declare independence in forty eight hours? And in general, what validity

will the referendum have in case of a low voting rate?

Page 11 - Edition 10-24-17
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