72 hrs after sacking regional govt, Spanish govt to enforce compliance as work resumes in Catalonia

Following Friday’s move by the Spanish government which saw it trigger Article 155 of the 1978 Spanish constitution, sacking Catalonia’s regional government after it declared independence from Spain, the Spanish government is set to take control of Catalonia’s institutions with Spanish officials expected to be put in place in the region’s ministries today (Monday).

Meanwhile, Catalonia’s regional police force, whose chief was dismissed last week, have been deployed in Sant Jaume square, near the government palace in the centre of Barcelona, as over 200,000 civil servants are due to arrive work.

Spain’s Foreign Minister, Alfonso Dastis has said he expects the officers to “act professionally”.

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Spain’s chief prosecutor has also been preparing criminal charges against any officials considered to have acted against Spanish law in declaring independence following a referendum deemed illegal under the Spanish constitution, with as many as 150 of the region’s ministers replaced, with some vowing to continue to work.

Spanish police have been ordered to resist and arrest any Catalonia officials who resume work, following statements made by Mr Puigdemont and his vice-president Oriol Junqueras that they did not accept the moves by Madrid, adding that they could only be removed from office by the citizens of Catalonia.

In the interim, Madrid has called for fresh regional elections on 21 December.

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