The investigation will be against Catalan police and organizers who are accused of inciting a rebellion against the state as tensions between the Spanish government and Catalan separatists continue to grow.
King Felipe reprimanded the Catalonians in a rare national address Tuesday, calling this weekend's independence referendum "illegal" and accusing Catalan authorities of "eroding the harmony and coexistence within Catalan society."
"They have sought to shatter the unity of Spain and national sovereignty, which is the right of all Spaniards to decide democratically on their life together," Felipe said.
"It is the responsibility of the legitimate powers of the state to ensure constitutional order and the normal functioning of our institutions, the validity of the state of law and self-government in Catalonia."
Catalonia's leader, Carles Puigdemont, announced just before the speech plans to declare independence from Spain within 48 hours after the vote results are counted.
The 49-year-old monarch, however, insisted that Spain would remain united.
"On this path -- in this better Spain that we all wish for -- Catalonia will also be there."
[upi.com]
4/10/17
-
Related:
GR
FR
DE
ES
IT
RU
EU
A Spanish National Court judge on Wednesday called the head of the regional Catalan police and two pro-independence figureheads to give testimony in a probe into allegations their conduct during a protest that coincided with Spanish police raids in Barcelona aimed at thwarting a controversial separatist referendum amounted to sedition.
ReplyDeleteNational court judge Carmen Lamela called on Mossos d'Esquadra Major, Josep Lluis Trapero, and the presidents of two of Catalonia's most powerful pro-independence organizations, Jordi Sánchez, of the Catalan National Assembly, and Jordi Ciuxart, head of Omnium Cultural, to appear in court on Friday, judicial sources told EFE.
EFE/EPA