End of EU LOOMS: Catalonia independence to SHATTER bloc as Juncker says ‘cracks’ appearing
JEAN-CLAUDE Juncker has admitted there were now “more cracks” appearing in the European Union after Catalonia today declared itself independent of Spain.
By ROSS LOGAN
Express.co.uk
Fri, Oct 27, 2017
The Catalan regional parliament has voted 70-10 in favour of breaking free from Madrid, in bold defiance of both the Spanish government and the EU.
And in doing so, the worst fears of European Commission president Jean-Claude Junker may have been realised.
The Luxembourgian has previously warned that allowing Catalonia its independence would inspire other regions around Europe to follow suit and try and break away from its home nation.
“I would not like an EU that in 15 years consisted of 98 states,” he said last week.
But if Mr Junker and the rest of the EU had hoped the Catalonia crisis would resolve itself quietly, today’s events proved otherwise.
After the declaration was announced, thousands of seperatists took to the streets of Barcelona to celebrate freedom.
And shortly after that, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s government voted in favour of imposing direct rule over the region.
Tonight hiss cabinet, having been given authority to enact Article 155, will decide how to bring Catalonia to heel.
Article 155 empowers the government to take “all measures necessary” to compel a region in times of crisis.
The BBC’s Andrew Neil said that could even include Catalan president Carles Puigdemont being arrested.
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