(Newswire.net — October 27, 2017) — Following the ‘Kosovo scenario’ Catalan Parliament voted on independence from Spain. What happens now?
As Spanish flags are being replaced with Catalonian on major landmarks and buildings, Madrid promises restoring order, one way or another.
It is obvious that Catalans are not willing to arm themselves and resist the Spanish militia and Madrid triggered article 155 overtaking all institutional and financial power from Catalonia. So do Catalans have a “big brother” as Kosova Albanians had Americans?
The EU does not approve of the secession and sees Madrid as a partner, but it is impossible to stand aside if the Spanish police force executes violence on civilians. Since people of Catalonia expressed a desire to separate from Spain which is now starting to arrest political leaders in Catalonia, a violent scenario is highly possible.
“The rule of law will be restored,” Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said referring to the law of Spain. Catalonians, however, are looking to implement their own law, as any independent state.
“For EU nothing changes. Spain remains our only interlocutor. I hope the Spanish government favours force of argument, not argument of force,” European Council President Donald Tusk wrote on Twitter.
So, what does the direct rule from Madrid mean?
The first measures are to sack the Catalonian Parliament, seize political and financial power and take control over Catalan media. To do that, Madrid has to engage the police to arrest Catalan leaders, fire opponents and hire pro Spain administrators.
Additionally, Spain has to force the police chief, Major Josep Lluis Trapero to resign and overtake control over armed forces.
Since Catalonia has no international recognition and faces total opposition from Spain’s central government, the question is how were they planning to implement the seccession against the will of Madrid, the only force in the game? Or is the Madrid the only armed player in the game?
The European Union has made clear its support for Madrid. Observers have questioned how a viable independent state could operate in such circumstances, outside the EU. It is unlikely that Russia or China would interfere.
The United States, however, remained suspiciously quiet regarding the crisis in Spain.
“That’s up for the people of Spain and Catalonia to decide,” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said at the daily White House press briefing, shortly after Catalonia’s secessionist president Carles Puigdemont said he would seek dialogue and international mediation rather than an immediate declaration of independence, the Business Insider reports.
Giving that Catalonia aims to declare independence, dialogue on whether Catalonia would continue on as a Spanish province seems obsolete.l