EU legislature opens debate, says `It's time to talk'
Catalonia will move on Monday to declare independence from Spain, a regional government source said, as the European Union nation nears a rupture that threatens the foundations of its young democracy and has unnerved financial markets.
Pro-independence parties, which control the regional parliament, have asked for a debate and vote on Monday on declaring independence, the source said. A declaration should follow this vote, although it is unclear when.
In addition, the EU executive called again on Wednesday for the Spanish government and Catalan authorities to open dialogue to defuse the sometimes violent confrontation over the issue.
“It's time to talk,“ European Commission's First Vice President Frans Timmermans told the European Parliament as the EU legislature opened a debate on the situation.
Catalan President Carles Puigdemont earlier told the BBC that his government would ask the region's parliament to declare independence after tallying votes from last weekend's referendum, which Madrid says was illegal.
“This will probably finish once we get all the votes in from abroad at the end of the week and therefore we shall probably act over the weekend or early next week,“ he said in remarks published on Wednesday.
Catalonia will move on Monday to declare independence from Spain, a regional government source said, as the European Union nation nears a rupture that threatens the foundations of its young democracy and has unnerved financial markets.
Pro-independence parties, which control the regional parliament, have asked for a debate and vote on Monday on declaring independence, the source said. A declaration should follow this vote, although it is unclear when.
In addition, the EU executive called again on Wednesday for the Spanish government and Catalan authorities to open dialogue to defuse the sometimes violent confrontation over the issue.
“It's time to talk,“ European Commission's First Vice President Frans Timmermans told the European Parliament as the EU legislature opened a debate on the situation.
Catalan President Carles Puigdemont earlier told the BBC that his government would ask the region's parliament to declare independence after tallying votes from last weekend's referendum, which Madrid says was illegal.
“This will probably finish once we get all the votes in from abroad at the end of the week and therefore we shall probably act over the weekend or early next week,“ he said in remarks published on Wednesday.
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