The European Commission has clarified its position on the Catalonia independence referendum after Jean Claude Juncker appeared to say that he would support a yes vote.
The European Commission has clarified its position on the Catalonia independence referendum after Jean Claude Juncker appeared to say that he would support a yes vote.
The commission says the EU chief meant to say was that he would support any vote that was legally sanctioned.
Frans Timmermans, First Vice-President of the European Commission said: “If within the framework of this Constitution new realities are created in the member states, these new realities will also be realities for the EU, which will act on the basis of new realities.”
In Catalonia, there was yesterday a moment of euphoria with independents after Juncker was questioned by YouTubers on Euronews.
But he has now insisted that the vote would have to be sanctioned by the Spanish Parliament and the Constitutional Court.
Catalan president Carles Puigdemont launched the campaign for the referendum before 10,000 supporters on Thursday despite Madrid vowing to fight the move.
Police have been called in to prevent preparations for the ballot Spain’s central government insists the vote is illegal and the Constitutional Court has suspended it,
Measures are also being introduced aimed at preventing Catalonia from using public money for the October 1 referendum.
The European Commission has extinguished flicker of hope provided by Jean-Claude Juncker. Even in Catalonia his words are now interpreted with caution.