Madrid challenges reopening of Catalan government delegations

The Spanish government has challenged the reopening of Catalan government delegations abroad at Spain's High Court in Catalonia (TSJC).

On Tuesday, Madrid announced that they would be appealing the motion in the name of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, against the reopening of delegations in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, the United States, Italy, Switzerland, and France.

The delegations were shut down by Spain's previous People's Party (PP) administration after the application of Article 155, stripping Catalonia of its self-rule. They were then approved for reopening by Catalan president Quim Torra's executive.

Borrell announced move last week

On September 19 Spanish foreign minister Josep Borrell announced that the Spanish executive would appeal against the reopening of Catalan "embassies" abroad.

According to Borrell, the reason behind this appeal is that the government has "not complied with legal procedures completely."

Borrell said that Spain's international image is "seriously damaged, above all in Europe and the Anglo Saxon world," by "propaganda" from the "Catalan pro-independence movement with the active support of the Generalitat's institutions."

He said that the Spanish government has "no other choice" but to appeal against the reopening of the delegations.