Spanish Government pressures high-school directors, mayors and Catalan Executive over November 9's vote

Barcelona (ACN).- The Spanish Government's Delegate in Catalonia, María de los Llanos de Luna, sent letters on Thursday to the directors of high-schools throughout Catalonia reminding them that the Constitutional Court had temporarily suspended November 9's participatory process. Furthermore she added that "neither agreements nor actions going against the Court's decision" should be carried out. De Luna, who became famous when she paid tribute to Spanish soldiers who fought in Hitler's army, explained that "allowing the use of education centres to carry out actions related to the suspended consultation vote" might go against the Court's decision. In addition, she sent similar letters to all the mayors, chairmen of supra-municipal bodies, main municipal officers and Catalan Ministers related to the participation process' organisation.

Spanish Deputy PMspreads doubts about future "problems" for those participating in November 9's vote

Furthermore, on Friday, the Spanish Deputy Prime Minister, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, asked the President of the Catalan Government, Artur Mas, "not to force" civil servants, mayors and citizens to "disobey the law". According to her, Mas should not generate "instability" and should not foster "doubts" among civil servants, mayors and citizens about "whether they are honouring the law or not, whether they will have problems in the future or not". However, she refused to specify whether the Spanish Government is planning on doing something or which legal consequences citizens could face.

To this end, she mentioned that the Constitutional Court stated that November 9's vote "cannot take place". And she told Mas that, in such a scenario, "caution is not a bad recommendation". "I ask the President of the Catalan Government and the Catalan Government to think about it", Sáenz de Santamaría added.

November 9 will not give any stronger position to Catalan representatives in hypothetical negotiations

Besides, regarding the letter that the Catalan President is supposed to send to the Spanish Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, on Monday in which he will ask for dialogue, Sáenz de Santamaría stated that, "regardless what happens and does not happen" on November 9, the result of the participatory process will not allow the Catalan President "to have a stronger position" in hypothetical negotiations.