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Catalonia declares independence

Meanwhile, the Spanish Senate convened to approve measures aimed at suspending Catalonia’s president and heads of regional government agencies

© REUTERS/Yves Herman

BARCELONA, October 27. /TASS/. Catalonia’s parliament has passed a resolution declaring independence from Spain. The results of the vote were announced by the meeting’s chair Carme Forcadell, a TASS correspondent reports from the parliament’s meeting.

My statement on the situation in Catalonia ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/f7c4QWXjAc
— EP President Tajani (@EP_President) 27 October 2017

"The resolution has been passed," the parliament speaker said adding that as many as 70 parliament members had voted in the document’s favor, while ten had casted negative votes and another two had submitted empty ballots.

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After the results were announced, the parliament members got up to their feet and sang Catalonia’s anthem. The resolution stipulates that a process of establishing "an independent republic" should begin, as well as the formation of new government bodies.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has pledged to restore law and order in Catalonia.

"I call on all the Spanish people to stay calm," the prime minister wrote on Twitter on Friday, following the Catalan parliament’s adoption of a resolution on independence. "The constitutional state will restore law and order in Catalonia," Rajoy added.

Meanwhile, the Spanish Senate members have gathered to approve measures proposed by the government to resolve the situation in Catalonia, which particularly stipulate the suspension of Catalonia’s President Carles Puigdemont, Vice President Oriol Junqueras and heads of regional government’s departments.

Pido tranquilidad a todos los españoles. El Estado de Derecho restaurará la legalidad en Cataluña. MR
— Mariano Rajoy Brey (@marianorajoy) 27 October 2017

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