16 Dec, 2009 @ 10:53
1 min read

Catalans demonstrate independence urge

CATALONIA has held an unofficial referendum on independence as part of a campaign to move the issue up the political agenda.

While turnout was only 25 per cent, some 94 per cent of those voted backed independence.

But the vote was condemned by critics. Only one in 10 of Catalonia’s residents were invited to vote, and they were in known pro-independence regions.

The residents were asked if Catalonia – which is Spain´s richest region – should “become a social, democratic and independent state”.

The outcome has no legal force, as any referendum in Spain must be mandated by the national government.

Catalonia, which accounts for 25 per cent of the country’s GDP, already enjoys autonomous status and has its own language Catalan.

Supporters hope that Sunday’s poll will be the first step towards a formal ballot for a separate state.

Almost 170 Catalan towns and villages held ballots, staffed by thousands of volunteers.

Further referendums are being planned in other parts of the region, including Barcelona, Girona and Lleida, early next year.

A statute on relations with the Spanish state which was approved by Catalans three years ago gave the region more local jurisdiction and what many believe is a fairer share of the revenue collected.

Joan Laporta, chairman of Barcelona football club, told the Spanish newspaper El Pais that the vote was a reaction to central government pressure on the region.

“Catalonia is dying, they are killing it and we must react,” he said.

“No Catalan can accept the fiscal pillaging that we are suffering nor the attacks on the rights and freedoms of Catalonia.”

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Jon Clarke (Publisher & Editor)

Jon Clarke is a Londoner who worked at the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday as an investigative journalist before moving to Spain in 2003 where he helped set up the Olive Press.

After studying Geography at Manchester University he fell in love with Spain during a two-year stint teaching English in Madrid.

On returning to London, he studied journalism and landed his first job at the weekly Informer newspaper in Teddington, covering hundreds of stories in areas including Hounslow, Richmond and Harrow.

This led on to work at the Sunday Telegraph, Sunday Mirror, Standard and even the Sun, before he landed his first full time job at the Daily Mail.

After a year on the Newsdesk he worked as a Showbiz correspondent covering mostly music, including the rise of the Spice Girls, the rivalry between Oasis and Blur and interviewed many famous musicians such as Joe Strummer and Ray Manzarak, as well as Peter Gabriel and Bjorn from Abba on his own private island.

After a year as the News Editor at the UK’s largest-selling magazine Now, he returned to work as an investigative journalist in Features at the Mail on Sunday.

As well as tracking down Jimi Hendrix’ sole living heir in Sweden, while there he also helped lead the initial investigation into Prince Andrew’s seedy links to Jeffrey Epstein during three trips to America.

He had dozens of exclusive stories, while his travel writing took him to Jamaica, Brazil and Belarus.

He is the author of three books; Costa Killer, Dining Secrets of Andalucia and My Search for Madeleine.

Contact jon@theolivepress.es

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