Catalonia Independence

[Tommy Tainant]

Catalonia plans October independence vote defying Spain - BBC News

The leader of Spain's Catalonia region, Carles Puigdemont, has called an independence referendum for 1 October, in defiance of the Madrid government.

The question will be: "Do you want Catalonia to be an independent state in the form of a republic?"

Spain is currently a constitutional monarchy, and Catalonia is one of its wealthiest regions.

Surveys suggest Catalan voters would narrowly reject independence, though most favour holding a referendum.

This will be interesting.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

Love Barcelona. One of my favorite places to visit.

 

[Tommy Tainant]

It's been on my list for years now. Probably the easiest place to fly to in Europe. Might go next year.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using USMessageBoard.com mobile app

 

[waltky]

Free at last, free at last - Thank God Almighty dey's free at last!...

Catalonia ex-officials freed by Belgian judge
Mon, 06 Nov 2017 - Carles Puigdemont and four colleagues reported to police after Spain issued an EU arrest warrant.

Former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont and four former ministers have been freed with conditions by an investigating judge in Belgium. The judge said they could not leave the country without permission and had to give details of their accommodation. They had handed themselves in to Belgian police following an EU arrest warrant issued by a Spanish judge. Mr Puigdemont fled to Belgium after Madrid imposed direct rule on Catalonia following an independence declaration. He has said he will not return to Spain unless he is guaranteed a fair trial. The five are wanted in Spain to face charges including rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds.

They are now expected to appear in court in Belgium within 15 days. Belgium has a maximum of 60 days to return the five to Spain but, if they do not raise legal objections, a transfer could happen much sooner. "The request made this afternoon by the Brussels' Prosecutor's Office for the provisional release of all persons sought has been granted by the investigative judge," said a statement by the Belgian prosecutor's office. Mr Puigdemont's political party, PDeCAT, said he had surrendered to police to show his "willingness not to flee from the judicial process but to defend himself in a fair and impartial process, which is possible in Belgium, and highly doubtful in Spain".

Catalan former officials Meritxell Serret (former agriculture minister), Antoni Comín (former health minister), Lluís Puig (former culture minister), and Clara Ponsatí (former education minister)​

Last week, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy imposed direct rule on Catalonia following a declaration of independence in the regional parliament. He sacked Mr Puigdemont, dissolved the parliament and called local elections for 21 December. The declaration of independence followed a referendum that the Spanish constitutional court had declared illegal. Mr Puigdemont's colleagues also listed on the EU arrest warrant are Meritxell Serret (former agriculture minister), Antoni Comín (former health minister), Lluís Puig (former culture minister), and Clara Ponsatí (former education minister).

They all handed themselves in to Belgian federal police, accompanied by their lawyers, on Sunday morning and were questioned in a hearing lasting 10 hours. There were more protests in Catalan cities on Sunday against the detention of officials and activists held by the Spanish authorities. Protesters plastered city squares with posters depicting the detainees as political prisoners. Eight politicians are being held in an investigation into alleged rebellion and sedition linked to Catalonia's declaration of independence. Two activists are being detained in a separate investigation.

Catalan ex-leader freed by Belgian judge

 

[waltky]

Granny says, "Dat's right - dem Cats is sayin', `Let my people go'...

Protesters flood Barcelona demanding release of separatist leaders
November 11, 2017 - Hundreds of thousands of Catalan independence supporters clogged one of Barcelona's main avenues on Saturday to demand the release of separatist leaders held in prison for their roles in the region's banned drive to split from Spain

Wearing yellow ribbons on their lapels to signify support, they filled the length of the Avenue Marina that runs from the beach to Barcelona’s iconic Sagrada Familia church, while the jailed leaders’ families made speeches. Catalonia’s two main grassroots independence groups called the march, under the slogan “Freedom for the political prisoners,” after their leaders were remanded in custody on charges of sedition last month. The protest is seen as a test of how the independence movement’s support has fared since the Catalan government declared independence on Oct. 27, prompting Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to fire its members, dissolve the regional parliament and call new elections for December.

An opinion poll this week showed that pro-independence parties would win the largest share of the vote, though a majority was not assured and question marks remain over ousted regional head Carles Puigdemont’s leadership of the separatist cause. “Look at all the people here,” said 63-year-old Pep Morales. “The independence movement is still going strong.” Barcelona police said about 750,000 people had attended, many from across Catalonia. The protesters carried photos with the faces of those in prison, waved the red-and-yellow striped Catalan independence flag and shone lights from their phones. The Spanish High Court has jailed eight former Catalan government members, along with the leaders of the Catalan National Assembly (ANC) and Omnium Cultural, while investigations continue.

The High Court last week issued arrest warrants on charges of rebellion and sedition for Puigdemont, who flew to Brussels after being deposed, and four other former government members who went with him. “Your light reaches us in Brussels and illuminates the path we must keep following,” Puigdemont tweeted during the protest. On Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled to release on bail the Catalan parliament’s speaker Carme Forcadell and four other lawmakers, who enabled the declaration of independence by overseeing a parliamentary vote. Another lawmaker was released without bail. Forcadell left jail on Friday after agreeing to renounce any political activity that went against the Spanish constitution, in effect banning her from campaigning for independence in the December election.

Those terms threaten to undermine the independence movement just as cracks are starting to appear and tensions rise between the grassroots and their leaders. Puigdemont’s PDeCAT party has failed to agree on a united ticket to contest the election with another secessionist party, the ERC, denting the pro-independence camp’s hopes of pressing ahead after the election. On Saturday, the ERC said its leader, jailed former Catalan vice-president Oriol Junqueras, would be its candidate in December and he would campaign from behind bars. Pepita Sole, a 61-year-old pensioner in the crowd on Saturday, said she understood the Oct. 27 declaration was symbolic but now wanted the real thing. “They better understand that we’re not faking.”

Protesters flood Barcelona demanding release of separatist leaders

 

[waltky]

Russia interfered in Catalonia separatist vote...

Spain sees Russian interference in Catalonia separatist vote
November 13, 2017 - Madrid believes Russian-based groups used online social media to heavily promote Catalonia’s independence referendum last month in an attempt to destabilize Spain, Spanish ministers said on Monday.

Spain’s defense and foreign ministers said they had evidence that state and private-sector Russian groups, as well as groups in Venezuela, used Twitter, Facebook and other Internet sites to massively publicize the separatist cause and swing public opinion behind it in the run-up to the Oct. 1 referendum. Catalonia’s separatist leaders have denied that Russian interference helped them in the vote. “What we know today is that much of this came from Russian territory,” Spanish Defence Minister Maria Dolores de Cospedal said of Russian-based internet support. “These are groups that, public and private, are trying to influence the situation and create instability in Europe,” she told reporters at a meeting of EU foreign and defense ministers in Brussels.

Asked if Madrid was certain of the accusations, Spanish Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis, also at the meeting, said: “Yes, we have proof.” Dastis said Spain had detected false accounts on social media, half of which were traced back to Russia and another 30 percent to Venezuela, created to amplify the benefits of the separatist cause by re-publishing messages and posts. Ramon Tremosa, the EU lawmaker for the PDeCat party of Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont, repeated on Monday that Russian interference had played no part in the referendum. “Those that say Russia is helping Catalonia are those that have helped the Russian fleet in recent years, despite the EU’s boycott,” Tremosa tweeted, referring to Spanish media reports that Spain was allowing Russian warships to refuel at its ports.

Those who voted in the referendum opted overwhelmingly for independence. But turnout was only about 43 percent as Catalans who favor remaining part of Spain mainly boycotted the ballot. The separatist vote has plunged Spain, the euro zone’s fourth-biggest economy, into its worst constitutional crisis since its return to democracy in the 1970s. Dastis said he had raised the issue with the Kremlin. Moscow has repeatedly denied any such interference and accuses the West of a campaign to discredit Russia. NATO believes Moscow is involved in a deliberately ambiguous strategy of information warfare and disinformation to try to divide the West and break its unity over economic sanctions imposed on Russia following its 2014 annexation of Crimea.

U.S. intelligence agencies concluded in January that Russia interfered in the U.S. election to try to help President Donald Trump defeat rival Hillary Clinton by hacking and releasing emails and spreading propaganda via social media. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, who attended the EU meeting in Brussels, declined to comment on Spain’s accusations, but the alliance’s top commander said last week that Russian interference was a concern. NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Gen. Curtis Scaparotti said “Russian malign influence” was trying to sway elections and other decisions in the West, describing it as a “destabilization campaign,” although he did not directly address the Catalonia referendum.

Spain sees Russian interference in Catalonia separatist vote

 

[waltky]

Exiled Catalan President to Campaign From Brussels...

Catalan’s Fugitive Leader to Campaign From Brussels
November 15, 2017 — The fugitive leader of Catalonia’s secessionist movement said Wednesday that he will again be his party’s leading candidate in upcoming elections for the Spanish region while he fights extradition from Belgium.

Carles Puigdemont told El Punt-Avui television from Brussels that he is handpicking a list of candidates to run under him in Dec. 21 elections for Catalonia’s regional parliament, which were called by Spain’s national government after the region’s legislators voted to declare independence. He said that the list, running under the name “Together For Catalonia” (Junts pel Catalunya), will include members from his Democratic Party of Catalonia (PDeCAT) and some independents without a background in politics.

Ousted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont addresses Catalan mayors who traveled to Brussels in support of the ousted Catalan government in Brussels, Belgium​

“I have told PDeCAT that I need to make a list that is more mine than of the party so the greatest number of people feel comfortable,” Puigdemont said. “PDeCAT has accepted it and is working toward it.” The Democratic Party of Catalonia confirmed to The Associated Press that its national board decided Wednesday to accept Puigdemont’s proposal to create his own list.

Campaign from Belgium

Puigdemont said he plans to run his campaign from Brussels, where he and four former Cabinet members are facing an extradition hearing that could send them back to Spain to face accusations of rebellion and sedition. A Belgian judge released them from custody after they turned themselves in more than a week ago under the condition that they remain in Belgium. “I am excited to campaign, but with limitations,” Puigdemont said. “I don’t have the right to leave Belgium and obviously I won’t.”

Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy sits during a weekly session at the Spanish parliament in Madrid, Nov. 15, 2017. Spain's prime minister says next year's economic growth could be adjusted strongly upward if normality returns to Catalonia following regional elections next month.​

Puigdemont is a wanted man since he fled Spain following a crackdown by authorities after Catalonia’s parliament voted in favor of a declaration of independence Oct. 27. He has said he went to the European Union’s capital because he didn’t trust that he would be fairly treated by Spanish courts. Puigdemont and the other four former ministers have their extradition hearing Friday. However, the entire extradition process could take months. He and 13 other former Cabinet members face prison sentences of up to 30 years. Nine former members of his government remained in Spain and were sent to prison by a judge while the investigation proceeds.

Tight race likely

 

[Viacheslav]

Russia interfered in Catalonia separatist vote...

Spain sees Russian interference in Catalonia separatist vote
November 13, 2017 - Madrid believes Russian-based groups used online social media to heavily promote Catalonia’s independence referendum last month in an attempt to destabilize Spain, Spanish ministers said on Monday.

Russian hackers have appointed Tramp president of the United States. So i think Catalonia was the final qualification work of a young Russian hacker before entering the service in the FSB