CATALUNYA regional president Carles Puigdemont has ignored the central government's ultimatum and has not clarified whether or not his speech following the banned referendum was, in fact, a declaration of independence.
President of Spain, Mariano Rajoy, said Puigdemont had until Monday this week to say whether or not independence had been declared and, if this was the case, until this coming Thursday to retract his statement.
If neither happens, by Friday this week, the State will invoke Article 155 of the Constitution and withdraw all powers from Catalunya's autonomous government, placing it under national rule.
Article 155 has never been triggered before in this history of the Constitution, which was signed in December 1978.
Puigdemont reiterates that even though Catalunya has 'won the right to statehood' after nine in 10 of the 42% of eligible voters cast their ballot in favour of secession, he has opened a two-month window for the national government to enter into talks.
His written communication to Rajoy yesterday on 'deadline day' called for an emergency meeting to stop the situation becoming even worse, insisting that dialogue was his 'priority'.
Puigdemont says Catalunya 'wants to talk, the way people do in established democracies', given that the region has a very real political issue.
The 'majority' want Catalunya to become a separate country, Puigdemont points out, but that his 'postponement of this political mandate' shows that his government is committed to seeking a solution 'instead of confrontation'.
Rajoy's second-in-command, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, said: “Just answer yes or no. It's not hard.
“All we want is clarification.”
She said the 'uncertainty' and 'deliberate confusion' was unfair on the people of Catalunya and Spain.
Puigdemont's letter slammed the way the State had sought to 'repress the people and government of Catalunya', criminalising democracy and using 'brutal police violence' against the public to try to stop the referendum on voting day.
But in spite of all that, Puigdemont insists he still wants to talk about it.
“Logically, however, dialogue is not compatible with the present situation of increasing repression and threats,” he wrote.
“Let's agree to a meeting as soon as possible allowing us to explore and reach primary agreements...let's not allow the situation to deteriorate even more.
“With the right intentions, by admitting there is a problem and facing up to it, I am confident we can find the way to a solution.”
Sra Sáenz de Santamaría says the national government is prepared to talk, but that 'any dialogue must be within the law'.
This 'within the law' defintion means no discussions will be entered into that centre on 'the break-up of Spain' or 'any other action in breach of the Constitution' – meaning the exact subject Puigdemont wants to discuss is already off the table.
Rajoy says that until Catalunya 'returns to legality' – effectively, dropping all pretences at a referendum or of independence – National Police and the Guardia Civil will remain stationed in the region to ensure nothing further happens in that respect.
Catalunya's regional foreign affairs minister Raúl Romeva says Spain as a State is already breaking its own laws.
He says Article 155 was already being applied by default before Puigdemont was given an ultimatum.
“They're already intervening in our finances via the back door,” Romeva complains.
“And the presence of the National Police and Guardia Civil in Catalunya is illegal.”
