- Business
- Childbirth & Education
- Legal Formalities
- Motoring
- Other
- Pensions & Benefits
- Property & Accommodation
- Taxes
- Airports and Airlines Spain
- Paramount Theme Park Murcia Spain
- Corvera International Airport Murcia Spain
- Join us for Tea on the Terrace
- When Expat Eyes Are Smiling
- Meet Wincham at The Homes, Gardens & Lifestyle Show, Calpe
- QROPS 2014
- Spain Increases IHT in Valencia & Murcia
- Removals to Spain v Exports from Spain
- The Charm of Seville
- Gibraltar Relations
- Retiro Park : Madrid
- Community Insurance in Spain
- Calendar Girls
- Considerations when Insuring your Boat in Spain
- QROPS – HMRC Introduces changes that create havoc in the market place
- QROPS – All Change From April 2012
- Liva & Laia : 15th November
Residents of Barcelona have voted in favour of the idea of independence from Spain for the north-eastern region of Catalonia.
Although this was was spoken of as being a victory amongst various seperatist groups, it was largely a symbolic gesture as it had no legal or politcal basis.
The unofficial referendum was organised by pro-independence activists for residents of Barcelona alone, where less than a quarter of those eligible turned out to vote. Of them, over 90% voted in favour of independence.
Similar votes have already taken place in other towns and villages throughout the region. Catalonia has slowly taken a greater degree of autonomy from Spain and now has control over matters such as infrastructure and judicial affairs.
But many Catalans, proud of their cultural identity and language, believe that they are mistreated and dis-respected by the central government in Madrid.
As were the Basques, the Catalans were oppressed during the Franco years, which made it a crime to speak their various regional languages or celebrate their regional identities and cultures.