Spain Passes New Laws To Restrict Catalan Finances Ahead Of Independence Vote
With just a few weeks left until Catalonia’s proposed independence referendum on October 1st, Madrid has taken new steps this morning to restrict the finances of local governing entities to “guarantee that not one euro will go toward financing illegal acts.” Per Reuters:
The Spanish government said on Friday it had passed measures to increase control over how Catalonia spends its money in an effort to block the regional government from using state cash to pay for an illegal independence referendum.
“These measures are to guarantee that not one euro will go toward financing illegal acts,” Budget Minister Cristobal Montoro said following the weekly cabinet meeting.
Of course, restricting finances is just one of many steps taken by Spain over the past couple of days/weeks to thwart a potential independence vote. While ruling out the use of the military and imposing direct rule from Madrid, as BBCnotes Spain’s government is doing all it can behind the scenes to prevent ballot boxes from being put out for Catalans to vote.
On Wednesday night a judge in Barcelona gave the police authorisation to shut down the Referendum.cat website, created by the government to encourage people to vote on 1 October.
Spain’s attorney general has asked prosecutors in Catalonia to interrogate all mayors whose name is the on the list of more than 700 who have signed up to participate in the referendum.
Those mayors who respond voluntarily to the summons should be arrested, the government-appointed attorney general said.
Catalonia’s top court has called in local police chiefs to remind them that their duty is to report any crime they see being committed and to seize items being used for the purpose of the vote, specifically ballot boxes.
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