Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/882846
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 4 OCTOBER 2017 YANNICK PACE AND MASSIMO COSTA THE Foreign Ministry has con- demned the violence in Spain, which was triggered by the ille- gal independence referendum held on Sunday in the Catalo- nia region. In a statement yesterday, the ministry said "The Ministry for Foreign Affairs & Trade Promotion are closely follow- ing the events in Catalonia. We respect the Spanish consti- tutional court's decision that Sunday's vote was not legal, and this is an internal matter for Spain. We condemn vio- lence of any kind, and believe dialogue is always the way for- ward". This echoes the reactions of other EU member states, which have condemned the violence, but are viewing the issue as an internal matter for Spain. UK Labour Party leader Jer- emy Corbyn described the vio- lence as "shocking", and urged the Spanish government to "act to end it now". Similarly, Bel- gian prime minister Charles Michel said that "violence can never be the answer". European Council President Donald Tusk, after speaking to Spanish Prime Minister Mari- ano Rajoy, tweeted "Sharing his constitutional arguments, I appealed for finding ways to avoid further escalation and use of force". More than 850 people were injured in the violent crashes which erupted on Sunday, with police using batons and rubber bullets to prevent vot- ers from voting in the banned referendum. Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont said that Catalonia had won the right to statehood following the illegal referendum, which saw a 42.3% turnout. Meanwhile, the government in Madrid has warned Cata- lonia that it could suspend its autonomy. Foreign Ministry condemns violence in Spain, says Malta respects Spanish Constitutional Court's decision Amid scenes of chaos and violence, Catalonians voted overwhelmingly for independence Malta follows the European Commission's approach of regarding the independence referendum an internal matter for Spain