Category: Europe

Rajoy’s ultimatum to Catalans

The request that Mariano Rajoy sent Wednesday to Carles Puigdemont as a preliminary step for the activation of Article 155 of the Constitution establishes two deadlines before the Government assumes specific powers of the Generalitat. LATEST: Full text of Rajoy notification to Puigdemont makes it very clear this is Article 155. Full details in English for you…

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Rajoy engineering direct rule over Catalans

Mariano Rajoy, the prime minister, and leader of the conservative Popular Party (PP), launched an attack on the actions of the Catalan regional government in a speech to the Congress of Deputies in Madrid (Cortes), claiming it was no legal is neither democratic. DIRECTO https://t.co/g2Wiy8lCIc Rajoy: "¿A usted le parece normal?" pic.twitter.com/GNY7LJUGae — EL PAÍS…

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Catalan Declaration of Independence challenges Madrid

Catalan President Carles Puigdemont together with the regional leaders have signed a declaration of independence from Spain, following the disputed referendum. The ceremony took place in Catalan parliament, after the debate of the results of the referendum. 🎥 10-Oct-17 TV News Special Edition: 'Declaration of independence put on hold' – Check out today's show! ➡️…

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Madrid ready to arrest Catalan president for independence declaration

Spanish police are ready to arrest Catalan President Carles Puigdemont immediately if he declares independence in the regional parliament, according to two people familiar with the government’s plans. Helicopters are circling above regional parliament before Puigdemont speaks about the future of Catalan https://t.co/GnysFj9iHa pic.twitter.com/CWRGZVM3L9 — Bloomberg Politics (@bpolitics) October 10, 2017 While a final decision…

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Juncker in Barcelona to persuade Catalans renounce independence

The historic session of Catalan Parliament is postponed for one hour, reportedly president of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker tries his powers to persuade president Carles Puigdemont to renounce the unilateral declaration of independence. LIVE VIDEO: Catalan president @KRLS expected to declare independence (some form) in mins https://t.co/pquTPI0nW7 #10ODeclaració #Catalunya — WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) October 10,…

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Swiss mediate Spain-Catalonia

Neutral Switzerland is in touch with Spain and Catalonia about resolving a row over the region’s moves towards independence but conditions for promoting talks are not yet ripe, the foreign ministry in Bern said. #Switzerland prepared to build a platform for dialogue between #Catalonia and #Spain ➡️https://t.co/IXxPeJOslo . — Catalan News (@catalannews) October 6, 2017…

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Catalonia holds breath before declaration

Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont is facing growing pressure to drop plans to break from Spain ahead of a key address to the regional parliament. From the early hours of Tuesday morning the Catalan police force, the Mossos d’Esquadra, closed the Ciutadella Park in Barcelona and positioned several police vans near the entrances and alongside parliament….

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Council of Europe urges to investigate Spanish police violence

The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, Nils Muiznieks, urged Spanish home affairs minister, José Ignacio Zoido, to investigate Spain’s police actions during the October 1 referendum. In a letter sent on October 4 to the Spanish home affairs minister, Muiznieks called for an “independent and effective” investigation into Spain’s police violence which aimed…

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