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WORLD NEWS Saturday 7 OctOber 2017
Spooked businesses shift headquarters out of Catalonia

By CIARAN GILES Friday, blaming the seces-
ARITZ PARRA sionists for breaking Spain’s
Associated Press constitutional order.
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — “Coexistence is broken” in
As separatists in Catalonia Catalonia, he said, warn-
jockeyed Friday to elude ing Catalans that a par-
court rulings and find ways liamentary declaration
to deliver on their promise of independence “is not
to declare independence, enough” and that the in-
business giants hit back ternational community
with plans to relocate their needs to recognize inde-
headquarters elsewhere in pendent nations.
Spain amid the increasing No country has openly said
political uncertainty. it would support secession
Caixabank, Spain’s third and the European Union
lender in global assets, says an independent Cat-
said Friday that it was alonia would be kicked
moving from Barcelona out of the bloc and forced
to the eastern city of Va- to stop using the common
lencia, “given the current euro currency. The EU says
situation in Catalonia.” It Catalonia would have to
said it wants to remain in apply to rejoin, a lengthy,
the eurozone and under Catalan regional police chief Josep Luis Trapero, 2nd left, arrives at the national court in Madrid, uncertain process.
the supervision of the Eu- Spain, Friday, Oct. 6, 2017. A Spanish judge is due to question Mossos d’Esquadra chief Trapero The prospect of an exit has
ropean Central Bank — and two pro-independence campaigners about their role in an Oct. 1 referendum that the Span- sent shivers among busi-
two things that would not ish government declared as illegal. ness heavyweights, includ-
happen if Catalonia did (AP Photo/Paul White) ing lender Banco Sabadell
manage to secede.The ing for Spain’s central gov- ists drop their secession bid. “In order to dialogue, you and energy giant Gas
region’s separatist govern- ernment to accept a dia- Rajoy urged Puigdemont must stay within the legal Natural, who were among
ment has vowed to use a logue.But the government to cancel plans for declar- framework,” Spanish cabi- the firms to greenlight relo-
pro-independence victory of Spain’s conservative ing independence in order net spokesman Inigo Men- cations of their registered
in a disputed referendum Prime Minister Mariano Ra- to avoid “greater evils.” dez de Vigo told reporters address.q
last weekend to go ahead joy has rejected any nego-
with secession, while call- tiations unless the separat-

Popular mayor of Amsterdam
dies after battling lung cancer

By MIKE CORDER ing and integration for two
Associated Press years before being ap-
THE HAGUE, Netherlands pointed mayor in July 2010.
(AP) — Eberhard van der He made headlines in April
Laan, the popular mayor 2013 when he said he was
of Amsterdam who ran the too busy to meet with Vlad-
city with a firm hand and imir Putin during the Russian
a compassionate touch, president’s visit to Amster-
has died after a long battle dam.
with lung cancer. He was The move was widely seen
62. as a snub to Putin because
Amsterdam Municipality, of Russian legislation ban-
which Van der Laan led for ning gay “propaganda.”
seven years before step- Rainbow flags flew at half-
ping down last month be- staff around the city during
cause of his failing health, Putin’s visit.
said Van der Laan died Soon after taking office,
Thursday night. Van der Laan won respect
“Amsterdam weeps for its for personally reaching
dear mayor and all of the out to parents of children
Netherlands mourns” with abused by a pedophile in
the city, Dutch Prime Minis- an Amsterdam day care
ter Mark Rutte said. center.
Well-wishers placed flow- He displayed his tough
ers and balloons outside side by cracking down on
Van der Laan’s official resi- youth crime and anti-social
dence throughout the day, behavior.
and several commemora- In a Facebook post, Dutch
tions were hastily arranged King Willem-Alexander
at venues in the city on Fri- paid tribute to Van der
day evening. Laan, calling him “a driven
A lawyer and member of mayor with a heart for his
the center-left Labor Party, city and a fiery belief in a
Van der Laan was a gov- society to which every-
ernment minister for hous- body belongs.”q