The Islamic Republic of Catalonia The Islamic Republic of Catalonia Comment ( 5 ) "We will all vote for the Islamic parties because we do not believe in left and right. This will make us win local councils, and as we begin to accumulate power in the Catalan autonomous region, Islam will begin to be implemented." — Abdelwahab Houzi, Salafist preacher, Lleida. A successful push for independence in the Spanish autonomous region of Catalonia would lead to the establishment of a country with the third-largest percentage of Muslims in Western Europe, just behind France and Belgium, and far ahead of Britain and Germany. An independent Catalonia, with its capital in Barcelona, would also be home to the largest concentration of radical Islamists in Europe; it would emerge as ground-zero for Salafi-Jihadism on the continent and become one of the top incubators for Islamist terrorism in the West. Catalonia, historically one of the wealthiest and most industrialized regions of Spain, has harbored a strong streak toward independence since medieval times, when Barcelona was a Mediterranean trade center with its own parliament. But the ongoing economic crisis in Spain has redoubled calls for Catalonian secession from Spain and the establishment of an independent state.

Catalonia, the economy of which is larger than Portugal's (it accounts for one-fifth of Spanish output and generates 30% of its exports), is struggling to make repayments on its €40 billion ($51.5 billion) debt. On August 31, the credit rating agency Standard & Poor's slashed Catalonia's debt to junk-bond status. Catalan politicians are blaming the central government in Madrid for the region's economic woes. They say the central government collects €16 billion more in taxes from Catalonia each year than it spends in the region. On September 20, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy flatly rejected a demand by Catalan President Artur Mas that Catalonia should be allowed to collect and spend its own taxes . This demand for "self-determination" came just days after a massive pro-independence rally in Barcelona on September 11, in which up to 1.5 million Catalans called for forming a new European state. On September 25, Mas announced a snap election in Catalonia (to be held on November 25), which is being viewed as a plebiscite to gauge popular support for his pro-independence platform.

The Catalan parliament also approved a resolution to hold a non-binding referendum on secession once the new legislature is installed. The ruling parties of Catalonia have also sought guidance from Brussels on the legality of secession from Spain, requesting a "roadmap" for membership of the European Union, along with the use of the euro, as an independent state. Catalonia has 7.5 million inhabitants, including an estimated 450,000 Muslims , who account for 6% of the total Catalan population. In some Catalan towns and cities, the Muslim population now reaches up to 40% of the population. As a result of mass immigration from Muslim countries, which began in the 1980s, Catalonia has emerged as " a major Mediterranean center for radical Islamists ," and the United States has even proposed setting up an intelligence hub at the U.S. Consulate in Barcelona to counter the growing threat, according to American diplomatic cables that were obtained by Wikileaks and published by the Madrid-based El País newspaper. A five-page cable, dated October 2, 2007 , for example, describes the link between mass immigration to Catalonia and the rise of radical Islamism in the region.

The document, which is classified "secret" and apparently authored by then-Ambassador Eduardo Aguirre, states: "Heavy immigration -- both legal and illegal -- from North Africa (Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria) and Southeast Asia (Pakistan and Bangladesh) has made Catalonia a magnet for terrorist recruiters. … The Spanish National Police estimates that there may be upwards of 60,000 Pakistanis living in Barcelona and the surrounding area; the vast majority are male, unmarried or unaccompanied, and without legal documentation. There are even more such immigrants from North Africa. … They live on the edges of Spanish society, they do not speak the language, they are often unemployed, and they have very few places to practice their religion with dignity. … Individually, these circumstances would provide fertile ground for terrorist recruitment; taken together, the threat is clear." The cable also states: "There is little doubt that the autonomous region of Catalonia has become a prime base of operations for terrorist activity.

Spanish authorities tell us they fear the threat from these atomized immigrant communities prone to radicalism, but they have very little intelligence on or ability to penetrate these groups." According to Spain's National Intelligence Center (CNI), Catalonia is home to hundreds and possibly thousands of Salafi Islamists, who CNI says, pose the greatest threat to Spain's security. Salafism is a branch of radical Islam that seeks to forcibly re-establish an Islamic empire (Caliphate) across the Middle East, North Africa and Spain, which Salafists view as a Muslim state that must be reconquered for Islam. Much of Spain was ruled by Muslim conquerors from 711 and 1492, and Salafists believe that the territories the Muslims lost during the Spanish Reconquista still belong to them, and that they have a right to return and establish their rule there. The historical irony is that unlike the rest of Spain, Catalonia was only briefly part of al-Andalus, the Arabic name given to the Spanish territories under Muslim domination. Barcelona, for example, was taken back from Muslim conquerors in the year 801, only 90 years after the Umayyad invasion in 711.

For many years, Catalonia actually served as a buffer state (known as the Marca Hispanica ) that prevented the northward spread of Islam into southern France. As a result of its relative freedom from Muslim occupation, Catalonia does not possess the Islamic cultural heritage (especially in terms of architecture) common to other parts of Spain. Today, however, Catalonia not only has the highest Muslim population in Spain, it is also one of the most Islamized regions of the country. (See here for a 45-minute documentary about the Islamization of Catalonia.) Consider the municipality of Salt, a town near Barcelona where Muslim immigrants now make up 40% of the population. Salafi Muslims have turned Salt into what has been dubbed the " New Mecca of the Most Radical Islamism ." Among other projects, the Salafists are seeking to build a Saudi-financed mega-mosque in the town, where around 12,000 of Salt's 30,000 inhabitants are Muslim immigrants. The structure, with four stories comprising 1,000 square meters (11,000 square feet) accompanied by towering minarets, would be the largest Salafi mosque in Europe.

In addition to Salt, other towns in Catalonia have become centers for Salafi Islam in Spain. The movement is based in the Catalonian city of Tarragona, but Salafi Islam also has a major presence in the municipalities of Badalona, Calafell, Cunit, El Vendrel, Gerona, Lleida, Mataró, Reus, Roda de Bara, Rubí, Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Sant Boi, Torredembarra, Valls, Vic and Vilanova, not to mention Barcelona, which hosts five Salafi mosques. Salafi preachers in Catalonia teach that Islamic Sharia law is above Spanish civil law. They also promote the establishment of a parallel Muslim society in Catalonia. Salafi imams have set up Sharia tribunals to judge the conduct of both practicing and non-practicing Muslims in the region, and to punish those who fail to comply. In Lleida, where Muslims now make up around 20% of the city's total population, local residents have accused Muslim immigrants of poisoning dozens of dogs in the city because according to Islamic teaching dogs are "unclean" animals.

In Reus, nine Islamists kidnapped a woman , tried her for adultery based on Sharia law, and condemned her to death. The woman, by fleeing to a local police station, just barely managed to escape being executed. In Tarragona, an imam forced a 31-year-old Moroccan woman to wear a hijab Islamic head covering . The imam also threatened to burn down the woman's house: according to him, as she works outside of the home, drives an automobile and has non-Muslim friends, she is an "infidel." The local prosecutor had asked the judge to jail the imam and three others for five years for harassment; but the imam was cleared of all charges after the Socialist mayor of the town said she wanted to prevent "a social conflict." In Terrassa, an industrial city north of Barcelona, an imam from Morocco who preaches at a large mosque in the city center promoted violence against women by instructing his listeners to "hit women with the use of a stick, the fist or the hand so that no bones are broken and no blood is drawn." When questioned by police, he refused to provide evidence; he said he does not recognize the legitimacy of the Spanish state.

In Gerona, an eight-year-old Moroccan girl was suspended from a public school for refusing to remove her hijab in class . The Catalan government intervened by ordering the school to allow the girl to wear the hijab on grounds that it would be discrimination not to do so. In Barcelona, a Moroccan imam said it is absolutely necessary to accept Islamic values as European values and that from now on, when describing Western Civilization, Europeans should replace the term "Judeo-Christian" with term "Islamo-Christian." Elsewhere in Catalonia, Muslim immigrants are imposing Sharia law in public schools, where non-Muslim school children are regularly harassed for bringing ham sandwiches (see video here ) to school for lunch. Many of Catalonia's current problems with Salafi-Jihadism are self-inflicted. In an effort to promote Catalan nationalism and the Catalan language , Catalonian pro-independence parties have deliberately promoted immigration from Arabic-speaking Muslim countries for more than three decades, in the belief that these immigrants (unlike those from Latin America) would learn the Catalan language rather than speak Spanish.

Although some Catalans are having second thoughts about the wisdom of promoting Muslim mass immigration as a strategy to achieve Catalan independence, it is estimated that up to 10,000 Catalans with links to the separatist movement have actually converted to Islam in recent years. It is believed, for example, that two out of every ten Catalan radicals who belong to the far-left political party, the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC), are converts to Islam. According to one newspaper account , "the new converts refuse to observe Christmas, eat sausage, drink champagne or dance the Sardana [a Catalan circle dance], but prepare their meals with halal meat, read the Koran in Catalan and engage in proselytizing, especially among the more radical Catalan nationalists. One new convert says: 'I'm learning Arabic, but I prefer to read the Koran in Catalan. I praise God in Catalan. It is the language I feel in.'" Catalan multiculturalists are also actively proselytizing Muslim immigrants, seeking to convert them to the religion of Catalan nationalism.

In July, for instance, Catalan pro-independence activists, seeking to capture future Muslim voters, posted signs in front of mosques around Catalonia which stated that "Catalan sovereignty will help to integrate Muslim immigrants." Salafi preachers, who do not believe in democracy -- it is a form of government made by man and not by Allah - -- are now calling on Muslims who are eligible to vote to support Catalan separatist parties as a means firmly to establish Islamism in Catalonia. Abdelwahab Houzi, for example a Salafi jihadist preacher in Lleida who adheres to the radical Wahhabi sect of Islam, recently said : "Muslims should vote for pro-independence parties, as they need our votes. But what they do not know is that, when they allow us to vote, we will all vote for Islamic parties because we do not believe in left and right. This will make us win local councils and as we begin to accumulate power in the Catalan autonomous region, Islam will begin to be implemented." Soeren Kern is a Senior Fellow at the New York-based Gatestone Institute . He is also Senior Fellow for European Politics at the Madrid-based Grupo de Estudios Estratégicos / Strategic Studies Group. Follow him on Facebook .

Follow Soeren Kern on Twitter and Facebook © 2017 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute. Get Free Exclusive Gatestone Content: What is an Autonomous Region? - Quora Quora Written Jun 15, 2014 Any state which has exceptions in the constitution of the country it belongs to is termed as autonomous state.Many laws which are generally in practice within the country may/may not be applicable in these autonomous regions. It can be better explained with an example. Hong kong is a special administrative region of China where all the Chinese laws may not be applicable. Same with J&K in India or Catalonia in Spain. This is because of significant divesification of culture or other practices that particular region possess which is different from the rest of the country Catalans - Introduction, Location, Language, Folklore, Religion, Major holidays, Rites of passage Catalans RELIGION: Roman Catholicism 1 • INTRODUCTION The Catalan people live in an area of northeast Spain called Catalonia.

Historically, Catalonia also included Valencia, Andorra, the Balearic Islands, and the French department (or province) called Pyrenees Orientales. Speakers of the Catalan language can still be found in these areas. Following centuries of foreign rule, Catalonia became an independent political entity in AD 988 and united with the Kingdom of Aragon in 1137. Together, the two regions established an empire that eventually extended to Sardinia, Naples, Sicily, and Greece. After the marriage of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella in the fifteenth century, the kingdoms of Aragon and Catalonia were united with Castile and León. After this union, the Catalans struggled for centuries to preserve their political and cultural identity. By the nineteenth century, Catalonia had become a major economic power in Spain due to trade and industrialization. It has remained one of Spain's wealthiest and most developed regions. It has attracted large numbers of immigrants from the south throughout the twentieth century. During the years of Francisco Franco's dictatorship (1939–75), Catalan regionalism was suppressed and the local language outlawed. In 1979, Catalonia became an autonomous region with its capital at Barcelona.

In 1992, it gained the international spotlight as host to the Summer Olympic Games. 2 • LOCATION Catalonia is located in Spain's northeastern corner. It is roughly the size of the state of Maryland. It is bound to the north by the Pyrenees mountains, to the east and south by the Mediterranean Sea, to the southwest by Valencia, and to the west by Aragon. The region is dominated by the Pyrenees. Catalonia is divided into four administrative provinces: Lleida, Girona, Barcelona, and Tarragona. A fifth region within Catalonia is Andorra, a small country jointly governed by France and Spain. Catalonia has a population of approximately 6 million people, roughly 15 percent of Spain's total population. Much of the region's population growth—up from barely 2 million in 1900—is due to immigration. Over 25 percent of Catalonia's inhabitants live in Barcelona. 3 • LANGUAGE Catalan is the official language of Catalonia. It is also spoken in Valencia, Andorra, the Balearic Islands, and the French department (or province) of Pyrenees Orientales. Catalan is a Romance language like French, Italian, and Castilian Spanish.

It is similar to the Provençal language spoken in the south of France. From the late 1930s to the mid-1970s, Catalan, like other regional languages in Spain, was suppressed by the Franco regime. Now the language can be heard on television and radio and is taught in the schools. Road signs in Catalonia are printed in both Catalan and the national language, Castilian. The most common Catalan names are Jordi (the equivalent of George) for men, and Montserrat and Núria for women. Catalan was the official host language for the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. EXAMPLES seny 4 • FOLKLORE Catalan folklore has been strongly influenced by Roman Catholicism. Saints and visions of the Virgin Mary play a prominent role in legends, tales, and customs. 5 • RELIGION The majority of Catalans, like most other people in Spain, are Roman Catholic. However, the role of religion has decreased in the lives of many people in the region. This is due to the industrialization and modernization of Catalonia, as well as to outside cultural influences. Most Catalans mark major events such as baptism and marriage with the appropriate religious ritual.

However, many are not regular churchgoers. Religious minorities include Protestants, evangelical Christians, and Jews. 6 • MAJOR HOLIDAYS Catalans celebrate the standard holidays of the Christian calendar. Other religious dates include Epiphany (Reis) on January 6; Easter Monday, in March or April; the Feast of St. George (Sant Jordi), Catalonia's patron saint, on April 23; Pentecost (Pasqua Granada) , in May; and several summer festivals marked by fires and fireworks, including the feasts of St. Anthony on June 13 (in Balears); St. John on June 24; and Sts. Peter and Paul on June 29. The Catalan national holiday is La Diada on September 11. The Day of the Dead (Dia Dels Difunts) is celebrated on November 2. Boxing Day (December 26) is also observed. Towns and villages celebrate their patron saints' days every year in a "main festival," or fiesta major. This climaxes in an all-night dance. All Catalan festivals are marked by the dancing of the sardana, the Catalan national dance.

Another typical feature is the presence of ritual figures called giants (gegants) and bigheads (capgrosses), enormous papier-mache forms that are carriend in processions. The grotesque bigheads are objects of jokes and mockery. 7 • RITES OF PASSAGE Besides baptism, first communion, and marriage, military service can be considered a rite of passage for Catalans, as it is for most Spaniards. The first three of these events are the occasion, in most cases, for big and expensive social gatherings in which the family shows its generosity and economic status. Quintos are the young men from the same town or village going into the military in the same year. They form a closely knit group that collects money from their neighbors to organize parties and serenade girls. In the mid-1990s, the period of required military service has been greatly reduced. The government planned to replace required military service with a voluntary army. 8 • RELATIONSHIPS The Catalans generally have a reputation for being hard-working, ambitious, and conservative. In contrast to the passionate flamenco of the Andalusians, their national dance is the stately sardana . They tend to regard themselves as European rather than Spanish.

They spend little time in other parts of Spain, preferring to vacation either in their own region or abroad in France, Italy, or England. 9 • LIVING CONDITIONS Homes in northern Catalonia often house an extended family above a first floor that is used as a barn and/or storage area. Traditionally, Catalan homes and workplaces were often combined into a single building. This type of arrangement has become less common with urbanization and the spread of multistory apartment buildings. 10 • FAMILY LIFE Economic interests have traditionally played an important role in rural, and even some urban, marriages. According to custom, one son inherited all the family property. This resulted in the creation of many wealthy estates but also in a high rate of emigration. In cities, the nuclear family (parents and children) make up the household. In the country, a family may include grandparents as well as aunts and uncles. Men have a limited role in child-rearing, which is primarily the responsibility of the mother and female relatives or nannies. The last three decades have seen a weakening of family ties among many Catalans. 11 • CLOTHING Catalans wear modern Western-style clothing. Their tastes tend to be more conservative than those of their neighbors in other regions.

Traditional male Catalan garb includes the distinctive barretina, a sock-shaped, red woolen hat that can be seen at festivals. It is often worn with a white shirt and black slacks and vest. Women's festive costumes include elaborate lacework in both black and white. 12 • FOOD Catalonia has a rich culinary tradition. The earliest Spanish cookbook in existence was written in the Catalan language in the fourteenth century. Typically Mediterranean flavors predominate in Catalan cuisine. These include olive oil, garlic, onions, tomatoes, nuts, and dried fruits. A favorite Catalan dish is escudella I carn d'olla, a boiled meal-in-a-pot comparable to the French potau-feu. Meats and sausages are simmered with vegetables; the broth is then served with pasta as a first course, with the rest served as the main course. Catalonians are fond of mushrooms. About six dozen edible varieties grow in their homeland. Mushrooms often appear sautéed as an appetizer (tapas) or as an ingredient in soups, sauces, and stews.

A Catalan staple, eaten as a snack or a meal accompaniment, is pa amb tomáquet, bread smeared with tomato and sprinkled with oil and salt. 13 • EDUCATION Catalan children, like other Spanish children, receive free, required schooling between the ages of six and fourteen. Many students then begin the three-year bachillerato (baccalaureate) course of study. Following this, they may opt for either one year of college preparatory study or vocational training. Schooling in Catalonia was dominated by the Catholic Church until the 1970s. An expansion of educational services followed the Franco regime. Study of the Catalan language is required in the region's schools. 14 • CULTURAL HERITAGE In art and architecture, Catalonia is especially prominent in connection with two widely separated periods: Romanesque, and modernist. The region contains some 2,000 buildings erected during the Romanesque period, which flourished from around AD 1000 to 1250. At the turn of the twentieth century, the modernist style was championed by architects including Antoni Gaudí, Josep Puig I Cadafalch, and Lluís Domènech.

Great painters include Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, and Salvador Dalí. Each has a museum in Barcelona devoted to his work. Well-known contemporary Catalan writers include Salvador Espriu and Llorenç. Prominent twentieth-century musicians from Catalonia include cellist Pablo Casals and opera singers Montserrat Caballé and José Carreras. 15 • EMPLOYMENT About 10 percent of Catalans in the labor force are engaged in agriculture, 45 percent in industry, and 45 percent in the service sector (jobs that serve the public directly). Catalan has a thriving tourism business. Much agricultural work is performed on small, family-owned plots. Fruits and vegetables are grown, and animals, including cattle, pigs, and sheep, are raised. Catalonia is one of the top five industrialized regions of Europe. Catalan industrialization began with textile production in the nineteenth century. Other important industries include chemicals, leather, construction materials, automobiles, and appliances. The region also has the greatest number of small, high-tech companies in Spain. 16 • SPORTS Soccer (called fútbol ) is Catalonia's most popular participant sport.

Fishing, sailing, and hiking or climbing in the Pyrenees are other favorite outdoor activities. Winter sports include Nordic and cross-country skiing, ice skating, and ice hockey. Squash, tennis, and golf are also widely played. The 1992 Summer Olympics were held in Barcelona. 17 • RECREATION Like other people in Spain, the Catalans enjoy watching television. The fine arts have played an important role in the Catalonian heritage. Catalans enjoy going to opera houses, theaters, and museums in Barcelona and other cities. Catalans generally vacation in their own region, usually going to the same place every year. They also enjoy traveling abroad to other European countries. 18 • CRAFTS AND HOBBIES The Catalan national dance is the sardana. It is performed at festivals and other special occasions throughout the country. Dancers form a circle, holding their clasped hands high in the air. Short, quiet steps alternate with longer, bouncy ones. The bands that play music for the sardana are called coblas.

They consist of the flabiol, a three-holed flute that is played with one hand while the player beats a small, elbow drum called a tabal; woodwind instruments called tenoras and tibles; the brass trompeta, fiscorn, and trombó; and the contrabaix, or double bass. A regular sardana session, or audació, consists of half a dozen dances, each lasting about ten minutes. Marathon sessions called aplecs, however, include twenty-four dances played by three or four different coblas and last all day. Group singing is very popular among Catalans, and many belong to traditional Catalan choirs. 19 • SOCIAL PROBLEMS As Spain's most prosperous region, Catalonia has been spared many social problems. Catalan efforts to maintain cultural identity and independence have remained peaceful—unlike those of the Basques. The traditional Catalan family structure has been weakened in the postwar decades. Immigration to the region has resulted in social and cultural discrimination. 20 • BIBLIOGRAPHY Lye, Keith. Passport to Spain. New York: Franklin Watts, 1994. Schubert, Adrian. The Land and People of Spain.

New York: HarperCollins, 1992. Williams, Roger. Catalonia. Insight Guides. Singapore: APA Publications, 1991. WEBSITES Catalonia calls for help from central government to pay debts - Telegraph Financial Crisis Catalonia calls for help from central government to pay debts European stock markets tumbled and Spain's borrowing costs shot up as the country's wealthiest autonomous region, Catalonia, called for assistance from central government to pay its bills. Catalonia, which represents one fifth of the Spanish economy, has more than €13bn in debt to refinance this year Photo: EPA By Matthew Sparkes , and agencies 2:02PM BST 25 May 2012 For the latest on the eurozone debt crisis read our live blog “We don't mind how they do it if it allows us to have enough liquid assets in order to pay, and do it in time, because we all have bills to pay at the end of the month.

And this has to be at an homogeneous cost: if not at the European average values, then at least at the Spanish ones, said Catalan President Artur Mas” The debt burden of Spain's 17 highly devolved regions and toxic property debt held by the country's banks are at the heart of the eurozone debt crisis because investors fear they could strain finances to the point that an international bailout is needed. A spokesman for the Catalan government later emphasised that Mas was referring to payments that must be met routinely each month and not a specific deadline this month. Just after the announcement this afternoon Spain's IBEX stock market fell 1.1pc, the yield on ten-year Spanish debt rose to 6.24pc and the euro slumped to its lowest level against the US dollar in two years, $1.2496. Related Articles Bank hints QE could restart this summer 23 May 2012 Catalonia, which represents one fifth of the Spanish economy, has more than €13bn in debt to refinance this year, as well as its deficit. All of the regions together have €36bn to refinance this year, as well as an authorised deficit of €15bn.

Last year many of the regions financed debt by falling months or even years behind in payments to providers such as street cleaners and hospital equipment suppliers. This year the central government provided them with a special credit facility from the Official Credit Institute, or ICO, to pay providers, of which Catalonia has taken €2bn. The provider credit lines from the ICO run out in June and the central government has pledged to come up with a new mechanism for backing debt from the regions, which have been mostly priced out of international debt markets since the Greek rescue in 2010. Catalonia's Mas, from the centre-right Convergence and Union Party, said he is running out of options. In the past two years Catalonia has placed patriot bonds, at 4.5pc to 5pc, but he says the capacity for the people of the region to buy such bonds is at its limit. A quarter of all Catalan savings are already in patriot bonds, he said. The other option would be short-term financing from banks, but Catalonia's neighbour, the region of Valencia, recently paid 7pc for a six-month loan, a level seen as unsustainable.

&amp;lt;noframes&amp;gt;Datatable: One line headline here&amp;lt;/noframes&amp;gt; Catalonia's annual interest payments have already doubled in the last two years, to €2bn this year. Mas said the central government should issue so-called Hispanobonos to help out the regions, priced at the average interest rate that the regions would have to pay for debt from other sources. Government sources have told Reuters that Economy Minister Luis de Guindos and Treasury Minister Cristobal Montoro disagree on the final form of the mechanism to back regional debt. S&P credit rating agency cut Catalan debt by four notches on May 4, putting it at BBB-, just one notch above junk grade. Fitch has graded Catalan debt a couple notches higher, at BBB+. Catalonia's deficit was supposed to be cut last year to 1.3pc of gross domestic product, but the regional government overshot that by close to three times. This year it is struggling to reach a deficit target of 1.5pc of its economic output, a goal many economists see as impossible given that the Spanish economy is set to shrink this year by about 1.5pc.

Catalonia has cut public sector wages, instituted a tourism tax and a €1 charge to fill each medical prescription, applied the maximum surcharge on petrol and frozen infrastructure investments to try to get the budget under control. Catalonia ‘likely’ to remain in EU after referendum – report — RT News Tags EU , Politics , Human rights , Law , Security Catalonia's National Transition Advisory Council released a report Tuesday detailing four possible outcomes should the autonomous region vote for independence. The first and most likely result of the referendum would be the region’s automatic integration into the European Union. The second would see the nascent country temporarily isolated from the EU before rapidly re-joining the 28-nation bloc, while the third stipulates that Catalonia would have to apply for membership and join the queue for integration alongside countries like Turkey and Serbia. The fourth and final scenario says Catalonia would be refused entry into the EU following a referendum for independence. In spite of Spain’s potential veto on a Catalonian referendum, the report says economic arguments will ensure the future of the autonomous region within the European Union.

“The hypothetical veto by the Spanish state could obstruct and delay the incorporation of the new state in the EU, but it would not cause a very significant delay, because the disadvantages for the EU and the other member states of a slow or postponed entry would be much more significant than the meager benefits it might mean for them,” the report states. It adds it would be difficult to imagine Catalonia “as a sort of island, between France and Spain, outside the Union.” Following the release of the report, the EU Commission spoke out against the document’s conclusions, maintaining Catalonia will be ejected from the Union if it separates from Spain. “The Commission’s position regarding this issue is established in the Treaties of the European Union which apply to all of the member states: if a region of a member state ceases to be a part of this territory and declares independence, the Treaties no longer apply,” said a spokesperson from the Commission. Since the onset of the economic crisis in Spain, the Catalonian independence movement has been gathering momentum, with over 60 percent of the autonomous region’s population approving of a split from Madrid. Catalonia has a population of around 7.5 million, its own language and is responsible for one-fifth of Spanish GDP.

The right-wing government in Madrid has voiced its opposition to Catalonian independence and insists a referendum would violate the Spanish constitution. The EU has adopted a similar stance toward Catalonia’s independence vote as with Scotland’s planned referendum on independence later this year. Brussels has pledged to eject the nation if it gets independence from the United Kingdom. Catalonia Catalonia Comunitat Aut�noma de Catalunya Comunidad Aut�noma de Catalu�a 7 President Pasqual Maragall i Mira (PSC) Generalitat de Catalunya Catalonia ( Catalan : Catalunya, Spanish : Catalu�a, French : Catalogne) is the core region of the area where Catalan is spoken, delimited by the Spanish autonomous region (comunitat aut�noma) of the same name in the north-east of the Spanish state . It covers an area of 31,950 sq. km. with a population of 6.3 million, and its capital is Barcelona . It constitutes the original nucleus and the most important and extensive territory of Catalan language and culture. The historic region of Catalonia also includes North Catalonia (Catalan: Catalunya Nord), a province of France since 1659 .

The neighbouring Valencia region (Catalan: Val�ncia), the Balearic Islands (Catalan: Illes Balears), Andorra , and an adjacent area of Aragon (informally referred to as la Franja de Ponent) are closely associated with Catalonia historically and linguistically . The whole area is usually referred to as Catalan Countries (Catalan: "Pa�sos Catalans"). The term Catalonia is, however, sometimes used by Catalans to refer to the whole Catalan-speaking area. Then Catalonia is usually called the Principality (Catalan: "el Principat") or the strict Catalonia (Catalan: "la Catalunya estricta"). This terminology, though, is only used marginally. The official name of the Government of Catalonia (including the Council, the Parliament and the President) is Generalitat de Catalunya . Some people wrongly apply this name only to the Council, as if it was the same as Cabinet - however, Generalitat de Catalunya is the (autonomous) Catalan system of government, just like the Portuguese Republic is the (independent) Portuguese system of government.

The region has widespread autonomy and for example its own police force Mossos d'Esquadra , coexisting with the Guardia Civil and Policia Nacional, ruled by the Spanish government. Unlike the autonomous communities of Navarre and the Basque Country , it lacks its own fiscal system, thus the economic sustainment of the regional administration depends almost entirely on the Spanish government budgets. See comarques of Catalonia for the administrative division in comarques (roughly equivalent to counties). 5 External Links Politics of Catalonia A Catalan nationalist movement arose in the nineteenth century, and when the Spanish Republic was declared in 1931 , Catalonia became an autonomous region. In 1939 Francisco Franco came to power and supressed Catalan autonomy, and tried also to suppress the Catalan language and Catalan culture. During the last decade of Franco's rule renewed nationalist sentiment built up in Catalonia. In 1975 Franco died and democracy was restored soon after. Once again Catalonia became an autonomous region within Spain.

The Catalan nationalist leader Jordi Pujol came to power in the first regional elections in 1980 , and his party, Convergence and Unity (Converg�ncia i Uni� or CiU), held power for 23 years. Despite his radical background, Pujol became increasingly conservative in office, and supported Jose Maria Aznar 's conservative People's Party (PP) government in Madrid. Nationalist sentiment became increasingly dissatisfied with his rule. At the same time, the Catalan Socialists' Party (Partit dels Socialistes de Catalunya, PSC), based in the industrial heartland of Barcelona , regained its strength. One of the keys to Catalan politics is the fact that Barcelona, because it attracts migrants from all over Spain and from Latin America, is a majority Spanish-speaking city, particularly in working-class areas, while the rural regions remain solidly Catalan-speaking. The Socialists have become the party of those who resent the dominance of middle-class Catalan nationalists over Barcelona.

At the regional elections held on November 16 2003 , at which Pujol retired, the combined parties of the left defeated the CiU for the first time, and Pasqual Maragall i Mira became President of the Generalitat . Maragall's Socialists, however, actually lost seats: the big winners were the Republican Left of Catalonia ( Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya or ERC), which favours full Catalan independence, and the Greens. Carod-Rovira, ERC's leader, is the conseller en cap (prime minister) of the Catalan Government. Maragall's government will thus be an uncomfortable alliance between the PSC and the ERC, because the ERC favours more left-wing policies and progress towards Catalan independence, both of which the PSC opposes.

Parties CiU - Converg�ncia i Uni� (Convergence and Unity) ERC - Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (Republican Left of Catalonia) IV-EA - Iniciativa Verds-Esquerra Alternativa (Green Initiative-Left Alternative) PP - Partit Popular (People's Party) PSC - Partit Socialista de Catalunya (Socialist Party of Catalonia) 'Summary of votes and seats Votes and seats are compared with those won at the 1999 election.

Voters: 5,307,837 Voting: 3,319,276 62.5% Invalid votes: 8,793 00.3% Valid votes: 3,310,483 99.7% ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Party Votes % Seats ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Converg�ncia i Uni� 1,024,425 30.9 (-06.8) 46 (-10) Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya 544,324 16.4 (+07.7) 23 (+11) Iniciativa Verds-Esquerra Alternativa 241,163 07.3 (+04.8) 9 (+06) Partit Popular 393,499 11.9 (+02.4) 15 (+03) Partit Socialista de Catalunya 1,031,454 31.2 (-06.6) 42 (-10) Others 75,618 02.3 -

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 3,310,483 135 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Geography The Spanish autonomous comunity of Catalonia borders on Valencia to the south, Aragon to the west, France and Andorra to the north, and the Mediterranean Sea to the east and southeast.

Mountains: Catalan Pyrenees : Val d'Aran in the north face, Pica d'Estats 3141 m., Puigmal 2911 m., Cerdanya depression, Perthus pass (near the ancient Roman road). Catalan Litoral mountains: Montseny, Montserrat , Montsant. Iberic system: Maestrat. Catalan cuisine Traditions Catalonia's festivals and traditions unify Catalan society and help to give it its particular character. Amongst the most striking of festive events are the correfocs, in which " devils " play with fire and with the people. These devils are not the incarnation of evil; they are sprightly and festive, dancing to the sound of the tambourine and the traditional oboe, while they set off their fireworks . But perhaps the most spectacular of the Catalan festivals are those of the colles castelleres , groups of enthusiasts who form impressive human towers (up to nine people high towers). This is an old tradition of the Tarragona region, which has now spread to many parts of Catalonia, and has become a real spectacle, or sport, that attracts thousands of Catalans.

Amongst other important festivities are the carnival in Vilanova i la Geltr� and the Patum in Berga . Then, there is the very special music of the cobles, the wind bands that play sardanes. The sardana is a circular, open dance, that originated in the Empord� region (north of the country by the Mediterranean sea and the Pyrenees (Catalan Pirineus), and is now danced in many squares and streets. Anyone can join in. The anthem of Catalonia is " Els Segadors " (The Reapers). National day is September 11 , after the defeat and surrender of Barcelona to the French-Castilian army of Philip V of Spain . Catalonia profile - BBC News BBC News Read more about sharing. Close share panel Proud of its own identity and language, Catalonia is one of Spain's richest and most highly industrialised regions, and also one of the most independent-minded. With a distinct history stretching back to the early middle ages, many Catalans think of themselves as a separate nation from the rest of Spain.

This feeling is fed by memories of the Franco dictatorship, which attempted to suppress Catalan identity, and is nowhere more clearly expressed than in the fierce rivalry between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, Spain's top football clubs. A roughly triangular region in Spain's far north-east corner, Catalonia is separated by the Pyrenean mountains from southern France, with which it has close historical ties. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Building human towers - "castells" - is a Catalan tradition originating in the 18th century Most of the region's population lives in Barcelona, its vibrant political and economic hub and a popular European travel destination. Holiday-makers also flock to the Mediterranean beaches of the Costa Brava and Costa Daurada/Dorada, and the Pyrenees are popular with hikers, making tourism an important part of Catalonia's economy. At a glance Politics: Catalonia's leader is pushing for a referendum on self-determination after elections in 2012 backed pro-independence parties Culture: Catalonia's laws require teachers, doctors and public sector workers to use Catalan, an official language along with Spanish Economy: Catalonia is one of Spain's wealthiest but most indebted regions.

Harsh austerity measures have boosted separatist sentiment Profiles compiled by BBC Monitoring But it is manufacturing - traditionally textiles, but more recently overtaken in importance by the chemical industry, food-processing, metalworking - that make the region Spain's economic powerhouse, along with a growing service sector. History The area first emerged as a distinct entity with the rise of the County of Barcelona to pre-eminence in the 11th century. In the 12th century, the county was brought under the same royal rule as the neighbouring kingdom of Aragon, going on to become a major medieval sea power. Catalonia has been part of Spain since its genesis in the 15th century, when King Ferdinand of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castile married and united their realms. Initially retaining its own institutions, the region was ever more tightly integrated into the Spanish state, until the 19th century ushered in a renewed sense of Catalan identity, which flowed into a campaign for political autonomy and even separatism. The period also saw an effort to revive Catalan, long in decline by then, as a language of literature.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Catalonia's beaches attract tourists from across Europe When Spain became a republic in 1931, Catalonia was soon given broad autonomy. During the Spanish Civil War, Catalonia was a key Republican stronghold, and the fall of Barcelona to Gen Francisco Franco's right-wing forces in 1939 marked the beginning of the end of Spanish resistance to him. Under Franco's ultra-conservative rule, autonomy was revoked, Catalan nationalism repressed and use of the Catalan language restricted. Politics and language The pendulum swung back with the emergence of a democratic Spain after Franco's death. Catalonia now has is its own parliament and executive - together known as the "Generalitat" in Catalan - with extensive autonomy. Until recently, few Catalans wanted full independence, but Spain's painful economic crisis has seen a surge in support for separation. Many Catalans believe the affluent region pays more to Madrid than it gets back, and blame much of Spain's debt crisis on the central government. A regional government backed by the two main separatist parties - in power since snap elections in November 2012 - held an informal, non-binding vote on independence in 2014, with 80% of those taking part voting "yes".

The Spanish government says Catalonia has no constitutional right to break away. The use of Catalan - a language as close to regional languages of southern France like Occitan as it is to Castilian Spanish - has equal status with Castilian and is now actively encouraged in education, official use and the media. However, Castilian predominates in Barcelona, and is still the first language of a narrow majority of Catalans, who are nearly all bilingual. Variants are also spoken in the region of Valencia to the south, and on the Balearic islands, leading many Catalan nationalists to regard all three regions- as well as the traditionally Catalan-speaking Roussillon region of France - as forming the "Catalan Countries". Image copyright Getty Images Catalonia MPs vote for secession as Spain looks to block plans in court | World news | The Guardian Catalonia Catalonia MPs vote for secession as Spain looks to block plans in court Resolution passes calling for legislation to create separate institutions, but Spanish prime minister insists there will be no split Catalonia’s president, Artur Mas, heads the pro-independence Junts pel Sí coalition in the Catalan parliament.

Photograph: David Ramos/Getty Images Monday 9 November 2015 11.08 EST First published on Sunday 8 November 2015 22.03 EST Close This article is 1 year old The Catalan parliament has voted to formally begin the process of breaking away from Spain , deepening its standoff with the central government in Madrid as the region begins one of the most decisive weeks to date in its push for independence. Separatist MPs used their majority to pass legislation pledging a “disconnection from the Spanish state” in favour of the “beginning of the process toward the creation of an independent Catalan state in the form of a republic”. The vote passed by 72 to 63, backed by MPs from the pro-independence Together for Yes coalition and the smaller, far-left Popular Unity Candidacy (CUP). It aims to pave the way for the region to declare independence as early as 2017. The legislation calls for further laws to facilitate the creation of an independent social security system and tax authority within the next 30 days, and specifies that the regional parliament will no longer be bound to decisions made by institutions of the Spanish state, including the constitutional court.

“There is a growing cry for Catalonia to not merely be a country, but to be a state with everything that means,” the Together for Yes politician Raül Romeva told parliament on Monday. “Today, we not only open a new parliament, this marks a before and after.” Reaction from Madrid was swift. Spain’s prime minister, Mariano Rajoy , said his government was already working towards appealing against the legislation in the constitutional court. “I’ve said it continuously and I reiterate it today – the government will not allow this to continue,” said Rajoy. “Catalonia will not disconnect itself from anywhere, and there will be no fracture.” The constitutional court is expected to accept the government’s appeal, meaning the Catalan resolution would be suspended while judges hear arguments and reach a decision. But it remains to be seen how the suspension would effect the Catalan parliament. Pere Aragonès, another Together for Yes politician, pointed to Monday’s legislation to argue that Spanish courts no longer had jurisdiction over the process of breaking away from Spain. “The content of the resolution will be applied regardless of what the constitutional court says,” he told Agence France-Presse.

“We have strength and legitimacy, even if the Spanish state resists.” The argument could put Catalan leaders in the crosshairs of the courts. This year the central government passed legislation outlining steep sanctions and suspensions for leaders who fail to comply with the orders of the constitutional court, with the aim of quelling defiance. Basque secessionists follow Catalans in push for independence Read more Monday’s legislation, which was passed in the Catalan parliament exactly a year after the region’s symbolic referendum on independence , came on the same day the Catalan president, Artur Mas , was scheduled to address the regional parliament and make his case for staying on as leader of the government for a third term. After Together for Yes fell short of a majority in the September regional elections, the party is now relying on the CUP to form a government capable of advancing the separatist movement. Negotiations on who will lead this government have been continuing since the elections, but little headway has been made so far. CUP has consistently said it will not support Mas as leader of the new government, pointing to austerity measures implemented by his centre-right government and a string of corruption scandals that have plagued his party, Democratic Convergence, in recent years.

On Monday, Mas sought to push past CUP’s criticisms and emphasise the opportunity that now lies within grasp of Catalan separatists. “This legislature is about transitioning from an autonomous region to a Catalan state,” he said. “Why? To achieve three things: A country that is more just, more stable and more transparent.” While media focused on the Catalan parliament’s declaration, Lluis Orriols, a political science professor at Madrid’s Carlos III University, said the debate over whether Mas will lead the Catalan government is critical in laying the necessary groundwork to push the secessionist movement forward. “The crucial moment of this week is seeing whether the two separatist parties will be capable of forming a government.” If no agreement is reached by 9 January, new elections must be called. Until recently, few thought new elections were a possibility, said Orriols, but, while still a slim possibility, the CUP continues to hold firm, despite the fact that Together for Yes has six times the number of seats. “It’s hard to imagine that a party negotiating from such a minority stance would take such a strong position,” he said.

The showdown between Madrid and Barcelona has been complicated by next month’s general elections, said Jordi Matas, a political science professor at the University of Barcelona. With polls suggesting that no party will obtain a majority of seats, the Catalan crisis risks being exploited by politicians to gain votes. Matas pointed to past occasions when the actions of armed Basque separatist group Eta were a mainstay of Spanish election campaigns. “It was used as an element to gain votes,” he said. “Now we’re talking about a conflict between two legitimate democracies. I think Spanish political parties will use this to obtain more votes.”

Question: The autonomous region of Catalonia is in which country?
Answer: Spain