Sacked Separatist Leader Carles Puigdemont Calls for Peaceful Resistance to Spain
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Sacked Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont has called on Catalans to peacefully oppose Spain's formal takeover of the region's affairs.
In a televised address on Saturday, the separatist leader said Madrid’s decision to suspend the autonomy of the province and appoint the Spanish Deputy Prime Minister as its provisionary head goes against the will of the people, Independent reported.
Catalonia is now theoretically under the direct control of the Spanish national government in Madrid after the area’s regional parliament voted in favor of an independent republic on Friday.
Early on Saturday morning, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy made direct control from Madrid "official" by publishing a document dismissing Mr. Puigdemont, his deputy Oriol Junqueras and all regional government members.
Although Mr. Puigdemont and the 12 members of the Catalan Cabinet will now no longer be paid and could be charged with usurping others' functions if they refuse to obey Madrid, there was no immediate sign that they were willing to comply.