Catalonia has appealed to the European Union with the requirement to formally condemn the Spanish authorities for the intervention in the referendum on independence for the region and the violation of the rights and freedoms of the people of the province during the vote. On Sunday, October 1, reports TASS.
At a press conference in Barcelona, the head of the Department of foreign Affairs of the government of Catalonia Raul Romeva said that the regional authorities are negotiating with representatives of the EU. “We have already asked them to make a reaction,” he said.
Romeva explained that it is a violation by Spain of article 7 of the EU Treaty, which stipulates the inviolability of democratic rights and freedoms in the countries of the community.
Before 1 October, the Deputy head of the European Parliament Deputy from Austria Ulrike Lunacek declared the referendum in Catalonia legitimate. Lunacek said that shocked by the situation in Catalonia, and called for de-escalation of the conflict.
The vote on the referendum on Catalan independence began on Sunday at 10 am Moscow time. It will last until 20:00 local time (21:00 Moscow time).
Madrid tries to prevent the referendum. In particular, it is reported that Spanish police used rubber bullets against those who voted in Barcelona. According to the latest data of the authorities of Catalonia, in various clashes of the region’s residents with the law enforcement officers were injured 337 people.