Spain: Catalan Parliament Presses for Independence

Catalonia's Parliament approved on Tuesday a motion promoting self-determination which was introduced by the Popular Candidacy Unit (CUP), a pro-independence political organization.

RELATED:

Spain: Socialists Win But Miss Majority, Far-Right Becomes 3rd Political Force

"The Catalonian Parliament's plenary has approved the first point of the motion on self-determination presented by the CUP," the Parliament's authorities published.

This proposal was approved in a session that began before the time initially planned so as to prevent Spain's Constitutional Court from interfering or suspending the process.

The CUP highlighted the intention of the regional lawmakers to carry out the process for independence and self-determination.

"The Parliament of Catalonia expressed concretely its will to exercise the right to self-determination and respect the Catalan people's will," CUP said.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Tsunami movement (TD) and the Defense Committees of the Republic (CDR) blocked an international highway to demand freedom for nine activists convicted of sedition after the 2017 Referendum whereby the Catalans expressed their desire to separate from Spain.

Their demonstration takes place just a few days after a national election in Spain that delivered a deeply fragmented parliament, which offers Catalan pro-independence parties a chance to play a role in unblocking the political stalemate in Madrid.

Catalan’s government president Quim Torra on Wednesday defended the activists' highway blockade and criticized police repression, which became violent nearby cities such as La Jonquera and Salt.

"This country guarantees the right to protest. What proposal does Spain have for Catalonia?" Torra asked and made a tacit reference to the agreement reached between the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) and the left-wing party We Can (Podemos).

"End the repression, make a proposal and let us defend our self-determination."