Page 9 - ARUBA TODAY 7 NOV 2015
P. 9
WORLD NEWS 9
Saturday 7 November 2015
Spanish government vows to block Catalonia independence
CIARAN GILES The separatism proposal and language. of Spain’s economic crisis Catalans would like a se-
Associated Press was drawn up by the “To- Pro-independence senti- as secessionists claimed cession referendum but
MADRID (AP) — The Span- gether for Yes” pro-inde- ment began to swell four Catalonia could do better are evenly divided over in-
ish government pledged pendence alliance and years ago at the height on its own.Most polls show dependence. q
Friday to take immedi- the radical leftist CUP par-
ate legal action against ty, which between them Catalan branches of Spain’s ruling conservative Popular Party, Xavier Albiol, Citizens party, Ines
the regional parliament of have 72 seats in Catalo- Arrimadas, and Socialist party, Miquel Iceta, backs to camera from left, pose for the media after
Catalonia if the Barcelona- nia’s 135-member regional filling complaints this week at Spain’s Constitutional Court in Madrid.
based body approves a parliament following an
proposal to formally start election in September. The (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
an attempt to break away two are in talks to form a
from the rest of Spain. new regional government
Catalonia’s parliament has but disagree strongly over
agreed to put the seces- who should be president.
sionist parties’ proposal to a Acting regional president
vote Monday, setting itself Artur Mas has pledged Cat-
up for a confrontation with alan independence within
the national government 18 months if he is chosen as
in Madrid, which deems regional president but the
the move a violation of the CUP has vowed not to sup-
Spanish Constitution. port him. The parliament
Deputy Prime Minister Sora- has until Jan. 9 to form a
ya Saenz de Santamaria government or call a new
said the government will election.
seek the opinion of the Catalonia, a region of 7.5
Council of State and then million people in north-
call a special Cabinet east Spain, is responsible
meeting to announce it is for nearly a fifth of Spain’s
seeking a Constitutional economic output and is
Court ruling. proud of its own culture
Separatists accuse Ukrainian
govt of using heavy weapons
MOSCOW (AP) — Separat- menting the peace deal
ist rebels in eastern Ukraine reached in Minsk in Febru-
on Friday accused govern- ary for the conflict, which
ment forces of shelling resi- has claimed more than
dential areas under their 8,000 lives since April 2014.
control with heavy artillery, German Foreign Minister
while Ukrainian forces said Frank-Walter Steinmeier
the rebels were violating said the ministers agreed
the cease-fire. to press forward with the
The rebel mouthpiece effort to ensure that heavy
Donetsk News Agency said weapons are withdrawn.
Ukrainian forces used Grad “It ought to be possible to
multiple rocket launchers conclude the withdrawal
Thursday night and Friday of heavy weapons by the
morning north of Donetsk. end of November or the
Under the Sept. 1 cease- beginning of December,”
fire, which has largely held, he said.
heavy weaponry was sup- The ministers in Berlin also
posed to have been with- agreed there should be
drawn weeks ago. a deal by the end of this
The uptick in fighting came month on arrangements
as the foreign ministers of for demining, so experts
Russia, Ukraine, France and can start removing mines
Germany met in Berlin to before winter sets in, Stein-
discuss progress in imple- meier said.q
