Belgian PM one of few national leaders to denounce violence, as most EU leaders appear reluctant to respond formallyDespite calls from Catalan authorities to condemn the brutal police crackdown on their independence referendum, the EU and most member states were reluctant to respond formally, seemingly viewing the dispute as an internal Spanish matter. The vote is of particular interest in Scotland, which in 2014 voted in its own heated but largely peaceful independence referendum to remain in the the UK. A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “The referendum is a matter for the Spanish government and people. The bloc did not immediately respond to his demand that it “condemn the violence European citizens are suffering”. The referendum, which has been ruled illegal by Spain’s constitutional court, places the EU in a difficult position.

Source: The Guardian October 01, 2017 17:04 UTC