Reactions in Spain to Nicola Sturgeon’s announcement of a second referendum on Scottish independence varied sharply and, above all, geographically. The response in Catalonia – where the regional government is planning to hold what it sees as a binding and valid independence referendum in six months’ time – was blunter. Madrid, well aware of the boost an independent Scotland would provide to secessionists in the north-east of Spain, has not. As with any EU member state, Spain would have the right to veto Scotland’s attempt to rejoin the union. “Over the past 20 years, Spain has recognised many states – Slovenia, Macedonia, Croatia, Estonia and Lithuania – which all won independence legitimately.

Source: The Guardian March 16, 2017 15:00 UTC