Jean-Claude Juncker has said he would respect the results of a yes vote in a Catalan independence referendum.
ADVERTISEMENTJean-Claude Juncker has said he would respect the results of a yes vote in a Catalan independence referendum.
Speaking to Euronews he said that an independent Catalonia would need to take the same path to joining the EU as other nations have done in the past, giving Spain a potential veto.
“We have always said that we would respect the rulings of the Spanish Constitutional Court and the Spanish Parliament.
“If there were to be a yes vote for Catalan independence we would respect that choice.”
“But Catalonia will not become an EU member state the day after that vote. It would have to follow that same procedure as other countries have taken.”
And you’re not worried about a snowball effect here, that countries in Europe might fragment?
“Europe has a wealth of different regional traditions. This is part of the richness of Europe.”
“But I do not want regional traditions to lead to separatism and the fragmentation of Europe. But who am I to tell people what they should think if they are tempted by independence?”
Catalonia’s parliament voted last week to hold an independence referendum on October 1, setting up a clash with the Spanish government.
Spain’s Constitutional Court suspended the referendum following a legal challenge by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy.
The government says the catalonia vote contravenes the constitution.