Prague, Oct 29 (CTK) – The Czech Republic still views Catalonia as part of Spain, the Foreign Ministry said in reaction to the unilateral declaration of independence by the Catalan parliament on Friday.
The declaration leans on the result of the early October referendum, in which a majority of the participants voted for the autonomous region’s independence from Madrid. The referendum turnout was only 43 percent, however.
The Czech Foreign Ministry views Catalonia’s steps as clearly going counter to the valid Spanish constitution, it wrote in a press release.
“That is why the Czech Republic cannot ascribe any international legal effect to the declaration of the so-called Catalan republic, and therefore it continues considering Catalonia an integral part of the Kingdom of Spain,” the ministry wrote.
Madrid is opposed to Barcelona’s separation from Spain.
Shortly after the Catalan parliament’s vote today, the Spanish Senate approved a temporary restriction of Catalonia’s autonomous status.
The Spanish government is to decide on the introduction of concrete measures in the nearest hours.
In its statement, the Czech ministry called for the dispute to be solved based on a dialogue between the two parties.
“The Czech Republic is convinced that the internal political situation in Spain can be resolved only by means of legal steps and a dialogue within the Spanish constitutional system,” it wrote.
rtj/dr/kva
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