(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) The Catalan Parliament has voted to formally begin the process of secession from Spain, continuing the independence feud with Madrid's government that broke out years ago. Separatist MPs, members in the "Together for Yes coalition" and the far-left "Popular Unity Candidacy" used their majority to pass a legislation pledging separation from Spain, in accordance with demands of the majority of Catalan citizens, who voted for the pro-independence MPs on September 27, where they won 72 seats out of 145 ones.
The secession resolution was met with opposition by the conservative People's Party led by Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and other political parties, who held a meeting to reach an agreement on legal ways to prevent the independence of Catalonia.
The secession resolution is widely viewed as "a mutiny" against the Spanish government and rules of the constitutional court, a step towards creating an independent state.
The legislation also calls for further laws to facilitate the creation of an independent social security system and an independent tax authority within the next 30 days.
Madrid's government is set to appeal the secession process at the constitutional court on Wednesday. If the court approves the appeal, the independence process would be suspended for up to five months.
If the Catalan parliament opposes the decision of the constitutional court, its Speaker Carme Forcadell may be suspended and fined along with other top officials.
Meanwhile, the Spanish government also threatened to apply article number 155/1978 of the constitution, that could result in the suspension of Catalan bodies, dissolving the government, enforcing the law and terms of Madrid's government on Catalan bodies - and the right of the Spanish army to intervene if the need arises. Rajoy is set to meet with opposition leader Pedro Sanchez to try reach an agreement on suspending the Catalan legislation, before the formation of an autonomous government.
The crisis between Catalonia and Madrid sparked years ago as the Spanish government refused to provide the autonomy with privileges of self-ruling, independent tax and monetary systems and using the Catalan language in official documents.
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