Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Friday 8 September 2017
Spain seeks legal action against Catalan independence bid

decree for the Oct. 1 vote abuse of power and em-
late Wednesday. bezzlement, among other
“Patriotic unities that go charges.
beyond the rights of citi- One lawsuit seeks to pun-
zens don’t have a place ish members of Catalonia’s
in today’s Europe,” Puig- parliament who allowed
demont said, adding that a debate and a vote on
Catalonia belongs to “the the legal framework of the
world that looks forward” Oct. 1 referendum. A sepa-
by holding the referendum. rate lawsuit was aimed at
Rajoy is trying to strike a Puigdemont and other ex-
delicate balance between ecutive branch members
tamping down the seces- of the Catalan govern-
sionist defiance yet staying ment who signed the refer-
away from dramatic mea- endum decree.
sures that would further Chief state prosecutor Jose
inflame anti-Spanish senti- Manuel Maza said prose-
ments, such as suspending cutors and police forces in
Catalonia’s autonomous Catalonia have been told
powers or declaring a to investigate and stop any
state of emergency, which actions taken to celebrate
could bring the military to the referendum. Businesses
Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy gives a speech following an urgent cabinet meeting at the the mix. who print tickets for the bal-
Moncloa palace in Madrid, Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017. Rajoy said Spain’s government is asking the His conservative govern- lot, produce commercials
country’s constitutional court to suspend a bid by leaders in Catalonia to hold a referendum on ment has not disclosed to advertise it or provide
independence from Spain on Oct. 1.
(AP Photo/Francisco Seco) what other possible mea- ballot services to the Cata-
sures are in the pipeline, lan government could also
By ARITZ PARRA against Spain’s and Cata- referendum can only be but it has vowed to trigger be legally liable.
Associated Pres lonia’s institutional order. called with the approval of actions in a “proportional” He said the measures were
MADRID (AP) — Spain’s “That’s something that the the central authorities. way and “with serenity.” aimed at “guaranteeing
government is asking the government and the courts The pro-independence “The Constitution can be the constitutional coexis-
country’s constitutional can’t allow,” Rajoy said in coalition in power in Cata- modified but through the tence framework” in Spain.
court to suspend a bid by a televised address follow- lonia, a wealthy region in rules and channels estab- Although much of the
regional leaders in Catalo- ing an urgent meeting of northeastern Spain, claims lished, never through dis- blame for the institutional
nia to hold an Oct. 1 refer- his cabinet. “There won’t it has the democratic man- obedience,” Rajoy said crisis has been put on the
endum on independence be a self-determination date to deliver on a prom- Thursday. pro-independence bloc
from Spain, the prime min- referendum because that ise to seek independence The state prosecutor, in the Catalan parliament,
ister announced Thursday. would be taking away from and that the universal right meanwhile, announced Rajoy’s conservative gov-
Amid deep political ten- other Spaniards the right to to self-determination over- plans Thursday for lawsuits ernment is being targeted
sions, Prime Minister Mari- decide their future.” rules Spain’s laws. accusing Catalan officials by other political parties for
ano Rajoy said the vote is Spain’s constitutional court Regional president Carles involved in the possible ref- letting the situation get this
illegal and poses an attack has previously ruled that a Puigdemont signed the erendum of disobedience, far. q
British government facing battle to pass key Brexit bill

By JILL LAWLESS more than four decades of amend legislation. Such
RAF CASERT membership. powers are often referred
Associated Press Brexit Secretary David Da- to as “Henry VIII powers”
LONDON (AP) — With 18 vis said that “without this after the Tudor king’s bid to
months until Britain is due legislation a smooth and legislate by proclamation.
to leave the European orderly exit is impossible” Opponents worry the Con-
Union, the U.K. govern- and delaying or opposing servative government
ment warned lawmakers the bill would be “reckless could use such powers to
on Thursday that it would in the extreme.” water down environmen-
be “reckless” to oppose a The government says that tal standards, employment
key piece of Brexit legisla- once EU laws have been regulations or human rights
tion. incorporated into the U.K. protections.
Meanwhile, the EU’s chief statute book, they can Keir Starmer, the Brexit
negotiator said he was be kept, amended or spokesman for the opposi-
worried by some of the scrapped by Britain’s Par- tion Labour Party, said the
suggestions coming from liament, fulfilling the prom- legislation would more ac-
the U.K. on a deal over Ire- Protestors dressed as Henry VIII with an entourage of Tudors ise of anti-EU campaigners curately be named “the
land, and voiced concerns demonstrate outside parliament in Westminster in London, Thurs- during last year’s referen- great power-grab bill.”
day, Sept. 7, 2017. The EU Withdrawal Bill (formerly known as the
Britain was backpedaling Great Repeal Bill) will be debated for the first time in Parliament. dum to “take back control” “So much for taking back
on its financial commit- The Bill contains a series of controversial new powers for govern- from Brussels to London. control,” he said.
ments to the bloc. ment which have been condemned by charities, academics Critics say the bill gives Labour says it will vote
British lawmakers began and campaigners as a threat to democracy. Many of these new the government worrying against the bill when it is
debate on the European powers are called “Henry VIII” clauses. powers, because it allows put to lawmakers on Mon-
Union (Withdrawal) Bill, ministers to fix “deficien- day.Britain is due to leave
which aims to convert tic statute on the day the is a key plank in the govern- cies” in EU law without the the EU in March 2019, two
some 12,000 EU laws and country leaves the bloc in ment’s plans to disentan- parliamentary scrutiny usu- years after it triggered the
regulations into domes- March 2019. The legislation gle Britain from the EU after ally needed to make or official exit process.q