Catalonia has "everything ready" for November's self-determination vote

Barcelona (ACN).- On Catalonia's National Day, the President of the Catalan Government, Artur Mas, stated that "everything is ready" to hold the self-determination consultation vote, scheduled for the 9th of November by a two third majority of the Catalan Parliament. In a speech at an institutional ceremony held in the morning, a few hours before the massive pro-independence rally, Mas stated that "all the efforts are focused on the 9th of November", which should be backed by the Catalan Law on Consultation Votes. However, he rejected to talk about "any other framework". Mas criticised the Spanish Government's "do –nothing attitude" and asked them not see Catalonia's demonstration "as a provocation or a challenge", but as a demand to vote.

"We are ready, and we cannot give any other message that can make somebody think that we will move away from the objective, which is voting on the 9^th of November", stated Mas. However, the Catalan President wandered what the Spanish Government is doing in front of "one of the State's main issues". "In front of such an important issue, what is the initiative of the Spanish Government? Where is its political initiative and its reaction capacity?" he emphasised. "Political problems are solved through politics, not by threatening with laws", Mas emphasised.

"This is not a provocation", said the Catalan President referring to the pro-independence massive demonstration. "We want to vote, we are a nation, we want to decide on our political future, in harmony and understanding with the peoples of Spain", Mas said.