MOSCOW, September 11 (RIA Novosti) – The Spanish region of Catalonia will call for a referendum on independence immediately after the people of Scotland hold their own vote, Xavier Trias, the mayor of Barcelona, wrote in an article published by The Guardian Thursday.
"Barcelona's region, Catalonia, is also on a political journey, reflecting its history but above all the aspirations of its citizens. Catalonia suffered under the dictatorship, which ended in 1975. The Catalan language was banned. Today, Catalans have clearly and repeatedly expressed – peacefully – their desire to vote on Catalonia's independence," Xavier wrote.
"In the last elections to the Catalan parliament, 70% of Catalans supported parties that seek a referendum on Catalonia's future status," the mayor noted.
The Spanish region of Catalonia has been expecting the Scottish referendum to create a precedent for its own struggle for independence from Madrid. The Spanish government has followed the UK's lead and allowed a popular vote on the region's status set for November 9.
However, unlike the British government, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and the Constitutional Court of Spain are said to have ruled out an independence referendum in Catalonia considering it illegal.
"Our wishes in Catalonia must be respected, just as the UK government has respected those of Scotland. But the government in Madrid, unlike the one in London, has simply dismissed our aspirations, refusing to discuss how they might be addressed," Xavier writes.
Supporters of Catalonia's independence have been holding demonstrations in different cities across the globe, forming human towers that are a traditional Catalonian activity.
"You can expect millions to take to the streets again today – Catalonia's national day," Xavier says.
The level of support for independence in Catalonia has been static in recent years at more than 50 percent. In Scotland, supports and opponents of independence are evenly split, according to a TNS BMRB poll published Tuesday.
A referendum on whether Scotland should be an independent state is scheduled for September 18.
