MOSCOW, October 4. /TASS/. Catalonia will declare its independence from Spain in the coming days, the region’s leader Carles Puigdemont said in a BBC interview on Wednesday.

Puigdemont was quoted as saying that his government would "act at the end of this week or the beginning of next".

On Sunday, Catalonia held a referendum on secession from Spain. A total of 90% of voters, or slightly more than 2 million people, said "yes" to Catalonia’s independence. The plebiscite was held under a tense atmosphere as national police and the civil guard undertook efforts to stop the voting, seizing ballot boxes and papers, as ruled by a Spanish court.

The Catalan authorities planned to open about 2,300 polling stations, of which about 300 were closed by law enforcement officials, sparking clashes with the voters. Spanish cops reportedly used rubber bullets and tear gas. According to the Catalan authorities, as many as 844 people were hurt in clashes with police. The Spanish interior ministry, in turn, said that 13 law enforcement officials had been hurt in clashes.