'We already did the referendum', says Catalan Vice President

Catalonia already held a referendum on independence and conversations between the Catalan and Spanish presidents on July 9 should address why Madrid doesn't recognize the right to self-determination, according to Catalan Vice President Pere Aragonès.

In an interview with the Catalan news agency (ACN) he said Spain's refusal to respect self-determination is the "root problem" of the current political stalemate.

"We already did the referendum, it was on October 1. Our priority is for the result to be recognized. And from there, we are always willing to talk," Aragonès said.

However, the Vice President argued that supporters of independence "should be much more" if Catalonia was to go ahead with a unilateral separation.   

According to him, the unilateral path wouldn't work because the Spanish state is ready to do "anything" to stop it.

Aragonès insisted that Spain has already done "a lot" to crash the independence movement, including imprisoning leaders or suspending self-rule, and that pro-independence supporters would need to win "by a landslide" to be able to overcome that.  

In fact, Aragonès came to power because his predecessor and leader of ERC, Oriol Junqueras, is currently in jail.