Catalonia’s bid for independence from Spain hit another obstacle after the European Commission said any breakaway territory would not be part of the EU.
“If one part of a territory of a member state decides to separate, the separated part isn’t a member of the European Union,” the European Commission’s Spanish vice-president, Joaquin Almunia, said on Monday (16 September) at a conference in Barcelona, reports the Wall Street Journal.
The secessionist movement in Spain’s wealthiest region gained momentum last week after a million people locked hands to form a 400km human chain on its “border” with Spain.
Some of the organisers called for a referendum while others demanded immediate independence.
The demonstration, held on Catalonia’s national day, was a symbolic reference to the 1989 Baltic Way 600km human chain which demanded independence from the Soviet Union.
But Spanish Prime Minister Rajoy rejected the proposals on the Catalan popular vote, noting that only Madrid can call for a referendum.
The region has pledged to hold a referendum in 2014 at the same time as Scotland votes on independence from the UK.
Nikolaj Nielsen