BARCELONA, Spain — Catalonia’s fired leaders will continue “working to build a free country,” its ousted separatist president said Saturday, as he called for peaceful opposition to Spain’s imposition of direct rule in the region. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy also dissolved the regional parliament and called a new regional election to be held on Dec. 21. “Our will is to continue working to fulfil the democratic mandates and at the same time seek the maximum stability and tranquility,” Puigdemont said. Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria will be Rajoy’s point person in running Catalonia until the new regional election. Trapero’s boss, regional police director Pere Soler, said in a statement that he accepted his firing by central authorities in Madrid.

Source: National Post October 28, 2017 18:06 UTC