Ten of thousands of flag-waving demonstrators packed central Barcelona to rally against plans by separatist leaders to declare Catalonia independent following a banned secession referendum. Catalans calling themselves a “silent majority” opposed to leaving Spain broke their silence after a week of mounting anxiety over the country’s worst political crisis in a generation.
/ AFP PHOTO / PAU BARRENA
PARIS, France (AFP) — Catalan independence would not enjoy international recognition, France’s minister for European affairs said Monday as the Spanish region’s leader threatens to announce a split.
Pressure has mounted on Catalan president Carles Puigdemont to back down after hundreds of thousands of protesters last week rallied to defend national unity.
“If there were a declaration of independence it would be unilateral and it wouldn’t be recognized,” Nathalie Loiseau said on CNews digital news channel.
“This crisis needs to be resolved through dialogue at all levels of Spanish politics,” she urged.
The minister also reiterated Brussels’ warning that an independent Catalonia would “automatically” be out of the EU and have to reapply to join.
“We are allies and partners with Spain, and Spain is a major democracy, so we are not going to meddle in the internal affairs of Spain.”
She said Catalonia, which borders France, already has “considerable autonomy”.
© Agence France-Presse