Spanish PM Rajoy to ask court to revoke Catalan referendum law
Spain’s state prosecutors office said on Thursday it would present criminal charges against members of the Catalan parliament for on Wednesday voting to hold an independence referendum, which the Spanish government says is illegal.
UPDATE: Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said on Thursday he would ask Spain’s constitutional court to revoke a referendum law passed on Wednesday by the Catalan parliament that sets the stage for a Oct. 1 vote on splitting from Spain.
The law, passed by a majority of Catalan lawmakers, was unconstitutional, Rajoy told a news conference.
The state prosecutor-general, Jose Manuel Maza, told reporters that his office would also present criminal charges against members of Catalonia’s government for signing off on the law.
Maza said he had asked Spain’s security forces to investigate any preparations by the Catalan government to hold the referendum.
A majority of Catalonia’s parliament voted on Wednesday to hold the referendum on splitting from Spain on Oct. 1.