Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Seán Crowe TD, has called on the Spanish Government to respect the legislation recently passed by the Catalan Parliament to allow for a democratic and legally binding referendum on independence to take place on 1 October 2017.

Deputy Seán Crowe said:

“A majority of Members of the Catalan Parliament have approved legislation to allow an independence referendum to take place on 1 October 2017. It is clear that the majority of elected representatives and the people of Catalonia want a democratic and legally binding referendum to be held.

“The Spanish Government has so far denied that legitimate expression of democracy and refused to negotiate with the Catalan Government to allow a referendum on independence.

“The Spanish Government should respect this newly passed law and immediately open meaningful negotiations with representatives of the Catalan Government to ensure a referendum free from coercion and outside influence can be carried out on this date.

“I believe that the people of Catalonia should have the right to democratically decide their own future in a democratic referendum on 1 October.”

ENDS