Catalan leader to declare independence very soon

World

Published: 2017-10-04 16:09

Last Updated: 2024-03-28 14:13


Catalan leader to declare independence very soon
Catalan leader to declare independence very soon

The President of Catalonia Carles Puigdemont said that he will declare his region's independence "in a matter of days."

"We are going to declare independence 48 hours after all the official votes have been counted," he told the BBC Tuesday evening.

Once all votes from the symbolic referendum on independence have been counted, Catalonia’s administration will take action, Puigdemont told the BBC.

The referendum was held in Catalonia last Sunday.

The pro-independence leader warned the central government that any attempt to take action against his administration would be an error that would “change everything.”

Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, described Sunday’s vote as a “mockery” of democracy, and promised to stop the nation’s break-up.

Security forces had raided and closed polling booths earlier this week, leaving some 900 people injured.

However, regional officials said that 90 percent of voters backed independence of Catalonia, according to The National.

Tuesday marked a protest against police violence, where businesses and transport services were closed across the region.

The EU said that the dispute is an internal affair and has to be resolved internally, in reponse to Puigdemont's calls on the EU to mediate the conflict.