Spain's Constitutional Court

The leader of Spain's Catalonia region, where a separatist movement is in full swing, announced on June 9 an independence referendum for October 1 in defiance of Madrid which is firmly against such a vote.

Speaking in Barcelona, Carles Puigdemont said the question would be: "Do you want Catalonia to be an independent state in the form of a republic."

BELGRADE - As Catalonia approaches the date of its final binding referendum on independence from Spain, Manfred Weber, a member of the European Parliament from Germany and a member of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU party, said Europe "cannot accept" Catalan independence.

"Europe cannot accept actions at the margin of the constitution," Weber said in an interview with El Pais.

Spain's Constitutional Court has annulled the ban on traditional bullfighting which was introduced by local authorities in the northeastern region of Catalonia, reported AFP.

In its statement, the court argued that bullfighting is part of the Spanish heritage which can only be banned by a decision of the central government in Madrid and not by the regional government in Catalonia.

Spain's Constitutional Court on Dec. 2 revoked a resolution by Catalonia's parliament that declared the start of a secession process in the wealthy northeastern region.
 

Spain's Constitutional Court on Nov. 11 suspended a resolution passed by Catalonia's parliament that declared the start of a secession process, at the request of the central government in Madrid.

Spain's Constitutional Court on Sept. 29 suspended an independence referendum called by Catalonia for November 9

Catalonia does not have the right to call a referendum on independence, Spain's Constitutional Court said.

The Spanish autonomous region has declared it would hold a referendum on November 9 regardless of what the government in Madrid thinks of the vote.