Barcelona, Oct 14 (AFP) Allies of Catalan separatistleader Carles Puigdemont urged him today to push ahead withhis secession bid as a deadline set by Madrid for a finaldecision on independence approaches.
The central government has given the Catalan presidentCarles Puigdemont an initial deadline of Monday after he saidlast week he was ready to declare the region independent butdelayed the move to allow negiotations with Madrid.
Puigdemont's number two Oriol Junqueras said that anydialogue with the central government "must have at its heartthe formation of the (Catalan) republic and our commitment toindependence".
"We need to be clear that the best way of achieving anindependent republic is to talk to everyone, including theinternational community," Junqueras told members of hisEsquerra Republicana de Catalunya party in Barcelona.
The wealthy region's drive to break away from Spainhas unleashed the country's worst political crisis in ageneration.
After staging a banned referendum on October 1, inwhich separatists say 90 per cent of people voted forsecession, Catalan president Carles Puigdemont said last weekhe had accepted a "mandate for Catalonia to become anindependent state".
But his ambiguous announcement included a call for anunspecified delay to allow time for dialogue.
Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who has repeatedly saidCatalan independence is not up for discussion, responded bygiving Puigdemont a deadline to make up his mind.
The journalist-turned-politician now has until Mondaymorning to declare Catalonia independent or not.
If he does, he has until October 19 to change his mindor Rajoy has said Madrid will start taking direct control overthe semi-autonomous region.
As the standoff drags on, dozens of companies havemoved their legal headquarters out of Catalonia, and concernsare rising that the crisis will severely damage the region'seconomy and even dampen Spain's growth prospects.
Spain's deputy prime minister Soraya Saenz deSantamaria warned Friday that if "there is no quick solution,we see ourselves having to lower economic forecasts for 2018".
The International Monetary fund has also voicedconcern and ratings agency Standard and Poor's said theregion's economy risked sliding into recession if the crisispersists.
Spain's Association of Registrars said Friday that 540firms had sought to relocate their legal addresses fromCatalonia from October 2-11.
Puigdemont is under pressure from Madrid and EU statesto remain part of Spain but also from his allies in theCatalan parliament who want the region to break awayimmediately.
"Dialogue is impossible, mediation is impossible,"said Nuria Gibert, a spokeswoman Puigdemont's far-left CUPgovernment allies.
Adding to tensions, Catalonia is deeply divided overindependence, and those who want to stay in Spain areincreasingly making their voices heard, having staged two massrallies in just five days.
Madrid is ready to invoke article 155 of Spanish law,a never-before-seen provision that allows Madrid to takedirect control of its devolved regions if it deems them to beacting against the national interest.
The head of Rajoy's Popular Party in Catalonia, XavierGarcia Albiol, said Friday that measures could includechanging the structure of the local Mossos d'Esquadra policeforce, as well as imposing more direct rule over education.
(AFP)KUN.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.