'I would step down if I felt independence is not possible,' says president

The Catalan president believes independence is feasible. In an interview with RAC1 radio station, Quim Torra said he would step down if he "felt independence is not possible."

For Torra, Catalonia is now "a declared republic which was not implemented." And the government, he said, has to work "as if we were a devolved region but aiming to become a republic."

During the interview, he also insisted that his cabinet is working to hold a referendum on self-determination agreed with Spain, although according to him, Madrid is taking no steps towards this aim.

"In the meetings we've held [with Spanish cabinet members], we've attended with proposals, while they have shown up with a blank page," he added, saying that dialogue needs to be "talking about specific things."