october 1

Protest in front of one of the offices raided near Barcelona 

International observer missions to monitor referendum

More than 16,000 people register on government’s list to collaborate with vote

Spanish president says the bill is “absolutely illegal” and dismisses it as a blow to democracy

ANC, Òmnium, ERC, PDeCAT, CUP and Súmate among organizations presenting the push to choose independence on October 1

Catalan president says international support for the referendum on independence is key, and can be won with a clear message on October 1

Presidency secretary general and managing director of citizen information asked to give witness statements to the police for investigation into October 1 vote

People's Party representative in Brussels accepts “there is a political problem" in Catalonia but warns solution "is not independence"

Administrative Court Number 14 of Barcelona has prohibited Badalona City Hall from opening any municipal offices on Spain’s National Day, this Wednesday the 12^th of October. The municipal government of Badalona announced earlier this week that it would offer their workers the possibility of working during the festivity in exchange for another free day, the 9^th of December, coinciding with the Immaculada long weekend. This measure would have allowed the opening of offices providing services to citizens, with a skeleton staff of at least 50%, but the judge believes there are political intentions behind the municipal government decision to turn the 12-O into a voluntarily holiday and that these would harm "the general, social and collective interest" of the celebration, as well as the "ideological freedom" of workers. Parallel to the rise of Catalan national sentiment, the 12^th of October is regarded in Catalonia as a day used by extreme-right forces to claim the union of the country and fight independence. 

Nearly 4,000 Spanish unity supporters and extreme-right forces gathered this Monday in Barcelona’s ‘Plaça de Catalunya’to celebrate Spain’s National Day. Although this time neither the Spanish People’s Party (PP) nor anti-Catalan nationalism Ciutadans confirmed their attendance, the PP’s leader in Catalonia, Xavier Garcia Albiol, in the end took part in the rally, together with other PP members. With the slogan ‘Barcelona, capital city of Spanishness’, members of Falange –the fascist party of Franco, which is still legal in today’s Spain, groups opposing Catalonia’s independence and retired soldiers displayed Spanish flags, shouted ‘Catalonia is Spain’ and burnt pro-independence flags in the centre of the square. Spain’s National Day commemorates the day Columbus landed in America, in 1492. In Madrid there is a big army exhibition but in the last years the day has been regarded as opposition to Catalonia’s push for independence and other regions of Spain’s exaltation of Spanish nationalism and the denial of other regions autonomy, especially Catalonia and Basque Country.   

Unemployment has increased in the service and agricultural sectors. However, it decreased in the industry and construction sectors. Unemployement has increased throughout Catalonia, although Lleida is the most affected province. Unemployment has also increased in the rest of Spain.

On the 29th of October 2010, Sting fans have an appointment with their idol at the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona. The author of ?Roxanne? and ?Englishman in New York? will sing together with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra.