Spanish government: Calls for Catalonia secession illegal

Madrid-Sana

The Spanish government reiterated its position rejecting calls for secession of the Catalonia region, noting that the independence of the region is “illegal” as clashes between pro-independence protesters and Spanish police escalated.

"The Spanish government has always been open to dialogue within the framework of respect for the law," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez told Reuters. They want to live together. ”

Some 200 people were injured in violent clashes between pro-independence protesters of Catalonia and Spanish police in a number of regions.

The escalation of clashes comes after the continued protests by supporters of the independence of the territory for the fifth day in a row to reject the issuance of the Spanish High Court hard jail sentences for nine leaders demanding secession for holding a referendum on the independence of the territory two years ago despite its ban.

"The violence does not reflect the peaceful nature of the traditional Catalan independence movement," Catalan separatist leader Kim Tora said in a statement, calling for negotiations "for a political solution to the political dispute" over the independence of the region.

About half a million took part in rallies and demonstrations in Barcelona yesterday, the largest gathering since the issuance of judicial rulings that prompted tens of thousands of independence supporters to protest in the streets of the province in northeastern Spain and the announcement of the general strike in Barcelona.

The province of Catalonia in November 2017 a referendum on secession from Spain, supported by the officials of the region 90 percent of its participants, which prompted the central authorities in Spain to directly control the territory and the dismissal of the separatist government.

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