Spain court suspends Catalonia's parliament session over independence motion

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Spanish Constitutional Court has suspended Next Monday’s session of the Catalan parliament in an attempt to to prevent Catalonia’s bid for independence.

The court stated that such a move would be “a breach of the constitution,” BBC reported Thursday.

Catalonia’s regional government cast a disputed vote for independence on Sunday despite the opposition of the central government in Madrid, with police officers set on duty to prevent the vote from going ahead as planned. 

Catalonia’s president  Carles Puigdemont has indicated that he could declare independence at next Monday’s parliamentary session despite opposition from Madrid.

The European Union urged dialogue to ease the standoff between the regional and federal government. 

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy warned Catalonia against declaring independence.

The court said that by allowing the parliament to meet and declare independence would “violate the rights of the party’s MPs.”

Catalonia’s leaders ignored an earlier ruling by the court to hold a referendum for independence as Spain’s government condemned the referendum vote as illegal.

About 90 percent of the people in Catalonia voted for independence, according to Catalan government statistics. Most votes were counted despite police efforts. However, turnout was only 42 percent.

Protesters with Spanish flags shout slogans in favour of Spanish Constitution and its article number 155, during a demonstration defending a united Spain on October 4, 2017 in Barcelona. If triggered, article 155 can allow the Spanish government to take control of the regional government in Catalonia for failing to carry out its constitutional obligations. Photo: AFP/ Lluis Gene

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