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Kremlin says Russia considers Catalonian referendum as Spain’s internal affair

Catalonia’s parliament passed a bill on holding a referendum on the region’s independence from Spain on October 1

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Spanish government to block referendum on Catalonia’s independence

MOSCOW, September 22. /TASS/. The Kremlin considers a planned referendum on the independence of Catalonia to be Spain’s internal affair and has no plans to interfere in the process, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"This is Spain’s internal affair, we don’t believe it necessary to interfere in any way," Peskov said when asked about Moscow’s attitude to the issue.

In early September, Catalonia’s parliament passed a bill on holding a referendum on the region’s independence from Spain on October 1. Besides, the parliament also adopted a law which will govern Catalonia’s withdrawal from Spain in case supporters of independence won the referendum. The country’s government challenged the decision in the Constitutional Court but the regional authorities still say that the referendum will take place.

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FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

The Collective Security Treaty came into force on April 20, 1994 to herald the emergence what would eventually become the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The six member-countries are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan