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WORLD NEWS Friday 20 OctOber 2017
Spain set to strip Catalonia of powers over independence bid

government refuses to ne- will trigger outrage in Cata- ing violent clashes that fur-
gotiate. “If the State Gov- lonia and could backfire by ther soured relations.
ernment persists in blocking fostering sympathy for the The dispute is increasingly
dialogue and the repression independence movement, encroaching on the Eu-
continues, the Parliament which polls suggest is sup- ropean Union’s political
of Catalonia will proceed, ported only by about half agenda. Catalonia wasn’t
if deemed appropriate, to of Catalans. officially to be discussed at
vote on the formal decla- With a mood of defiance an EU summit starting Thurs-
ration of independence,” hardening in the Catalan day in Brussels, but leaders
Puigdemont’s letter said in capital of Barcelona and offered their views. French
an English translation pro- the Madrid-based govern- President Emmanuel Ma-
vided by the Catalan re- ment adamant that the cron reiterated his recent
gional government. Spain’s constitution doesn’t allow support for Rajoy, saying
government responded by for the breakup of Spain, that the summit would be
calling a special Cabinet there seems to be no end “marked by a message
Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy listens to lawmakers during session for Saturday when it in sight for one of Europe’s of unity around member
a parliamentary session at the parliament in Madrid, Wednesday, will set in motion Article 155 long-simmering disputes. states amid the crises they
Oct. 18, 2017. About 50 Spanish and Catalan party lawmakers of the Spanish Constitution. The standoff has intensified could face, unity around
held up posters in the parliament demanding the release of two That article allows for cen- since Oct. 1, when Cata- Spain.” European Council
pro-Catalonia independence movement leaders, describing
them as political prisoners. tral authorities to take over lan authorities held an in- President Donald Tusk ruled
(AP Photo/Francisco Seco) all or some of the powers of dependence referendum out any EU role in the dis-
any of the country’s 17 au- that Spain’s Constitutional pute, telling reporters on
By ARITZ PARRA sion. In his latest display tonomous regions. Court declared illegal. The the sidelines of the summit
CIARAN GILES of brinkmanship, Catalan Regarded as the “nuclear national government sent that “there is no room, no
Associated Press President Carles Puigde- option,” such a punitive thousands of police to en- space for any kind of me-
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — mont sent a letter to Span- measure takes the standoff force a court order disal- diation, or international ini-
The crisis over Catalonia’s ish Prime Minister Mariano to another level. It probably lowing the balloting, bring- tiatives or action.” q
quest for independence Rajoy just minutes before
escalated Thursday, as a deadline set by Madrid
Spain’s central govern- for him to backtrack on his
ment prepared the un- calls to secede.
precedented step of strip- Puigdemont didn’t back
ping the wealthy region of down, however, and
some of its self-governing threatened to go ahead
powers after its leader re- with a unilateral proclama-
fused to abandon seces- tion of independence if the

EU chief Tusk: no role for EU in
Catalonia independence crisis

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) European Parliament has
— European Council Presi- warned that if Catalonia
dent Donald Tusk is ruling declares its independence
out any European Union from Spain, “nobody in the
role in the dispute between European Union” would
Spain and Catalonia as recognize it as a sovereign
Madrid weighs whether to state.
reclaim some powers from Antonio Tajani also said he
the regional government has no intention of meeting
amid an independence with Catalonia’s leader,
dispute. Carles Puigdemont, or me-
Tusk told reporters Thurs- diating in the crisis in Spain
day on the sidelines of an over a push in Catalonia
EU summit that “there is no for independence. Tajani is
room, no space for any calling the secessionist dis-
kind of mediation, or inter- pute an “an internal Span-
national initiatives or ac- ish matter.”
tion.” Speaking Thursday at an
Tusk said “there is no hiding EU summit in Brussels, Ta-
that the situation in Spain is jani responded to a ques-
concerning.” But he added tion about why he hasn’t
that the Catalonia crisis was yet met with Puigdemont
not on the summit agenda by saying he considers only
in Brussels. Spain is insisting the Spanish government as
that it not be discussed. a “legitimate” representa-
The Catalan government tive in the matter.
has sought EU mediation to He said that Catalonia’s
help ease tensions, but Ma- government “has violated
drid considers Catalonia’s the rules of the Spanish
independence moves ille- constitution and has also
gal and refuses outside in- violated the rules of Cata-
tervention. The head of the lan autonomy.”q