The stark warning came days before Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont is expected to address the region’s parliament, on Tuesday, when he could unilaterally declare independence. “We feel both Catalan and Spanish,” Araceli Ponze, 72, said as she rallied in Barcelona. But that turnout represented only 43 percent of the region’s 5.3 million eligible voters as many opponents of independence stayed away. Some European officials are also worried that any softening in Spain’s stance towards Catalan independence could fuel secessionist feelings among other groups in Europe such as Belgium’s Flemings and Italy’s Lombards. “The people who have come to demonstrate don’t feel Catalan so much as Spanish,” said 40-year-old engineer Raul Briones, wearing a Spanish national soccer team shirt.

Source: bd News24 October 08, 2017 11:26 UTC