MADRID, October 26. /TASS/. The Spanish government is not contemplating the possibility of deploying troops to Catalonia to resolve the situation in the region, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Alfonso Dastis Quecedo, told TASS on Thursday.
When asked whether the Spanish government is eyeing the possibility of deploying troops to restore order in Catalonia, the top diplomat said, "There are no such forecasts, since the government’s actions focus on restoring the rule of law through the proper application of legislation."
The minister was also asked what steps the Spanish government would take, if Catalonia declared independence. "The government’s actions in that case do not differ from the steps that have been taken to apply Article 155 of the Constitution. The double basis for that could be the fact that the autonomous community fails to honor its constitutional and legal commitments, and its actions encroach on the common interests of Spain. In case with the Catalan government, there are both grounds," he stressed.
On October 21, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy declared that he was enacting Article 155 of the Constitution. With its help, Madrid wants to remove from office head of the region Carles Puigdemont and members of the Catalan government. Besides, the Spanish authorities hope to hold new regional elections within the next six months. The Senate is to approve these moves on October 27.
On October 1, Catalonia held a referendum on seceding from Spain. A total of 90% of the voters, or more than two million people, said "yes" to Catalonia’s independence. Madrid said the referendum was illegal and refused to recognize its results.