Rajoy raises the tone
Spain’s Prime Minister defines those behind the referendum as authoritarian radicals; TC declares Catalan budget proposals for referendum cost invalid
With each new movement from the Catalan government and pro-independence parties to prepare for the 1-0 referendum, Mariano Rajoy redoubles his efforts to convince Spanish society that Catalonia is preparing a coup. Faced with the lack of information on what will the Spanish government will do to stop the referendum, La Moncloa is preparing the groundwork to justify whatever more drastic measures it may or may not take. “Authoritarian and provocative delusions will never overcome the established equilibrium of a democratic state,” he proclaimed yesterday to the main leaders of the business world who had gathered in Madrid for a conference of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce. While some of his ministers reacted the presentation of the referendum law, recalling that the defence of the “integrity” of the country corresponds to the army in case it proclaimed independence, others have assured the speed with which the TC will override any Catalan resolution, Rajoy chose to stay within the bounds of political discourse, promising the “sensible and moderate Catalan democrats” that the State will be at their side, addressing his words to what he considers the majority of Catalan society that are not interested in experiments. He emphasised that “Spain is a country with an exemplary democracy capable of responding to the challenges of the future and to the threats posed by those who would have us return to the past.”
At the same time, in an express ruling, Spain’s Constitutional Court has declared the budget’s additional Clause 40 which makes financial provision for a referendum to be held to be invalid.