Brussels, 29/09/2014 (Agence Europe) - Artur Mas, the President of the regional government of Catalonia, confirmed that a referendum on self-determination for Catalonia would be held on 9 November of this year, when, on Saturday 27 September, he signed the Catalan regional decree calling the referendum.
Madrid's response was immediate and unambiguous. Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria responded the same day, stating that the referendum would not be held “because it is not constitutional”. An emergency cabinet meeting, on Monday 29 September, decided to bring an appeal to the Catalan Constitutional Court to overturn the regional decree. As soon as the Constitutional Court accepts the appeal, the regional decree will be immediately suspended.
This response has done nothing to dent Mas's confidence in the referendum. On Sunday 28 September, he maintained that supporters of independence in power in Barcelona would do “all in their power” to ensure that the Constitutional Court overturns this suspension. The Catalan government will be given the opportunity to present its legal case to the court. Mas went on to suggest that he would not condemn any civil disobedience that ensured the voice of the people of Catalan is heard on 9 November, but took pains to stress that his party was not thinking along these lines and would act peacefully. (MD)