Madrid's ultimatum to Barcelona
After the government session, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy stated that he demands explanations on the process of independence from Catalan leader. Otherwise, Madrid is ready to resort to other measures from the Constitution. According to him, the Council of Ministers has decided to send an official request to Barcelona, after which it will activate Article 155 of Spanish constitution to suspend Catalonia's autonomy. “The response of the Catalonian government will determine the events that will take place in the coming days,” Rajoy said. Earlier, the deputies of the Catalonian parliament adopted a declaration on the independence of the republic, which states: “We create the Republic of Catalonia as an independent and sovereign state”. The document also signed by autonomy leader Carles Puigdemont. Nevertheless, Barcelona tends to negotiate with Madrid. “It's time for Rajoy to step down,” said the Catalonian Government spokesman. The Catalans have announced a two-week deadline for negotiations with central Spain.
