"The [Catalan] government will take to the Parliament of Catalonia, seat and expression of the will of the citizens, the results, so that they can act in accordance with the previsions of the Law of the Referendum". With these words, Catalan president Carles Puigdemont, has announced that, in the next few days, he will propose a declaration of independence after today's vote.
The president appeared accompanied by the members of his cabinet in the Gothic gallery at the government palace. "The citizens of Catalonia, we have won the right to have an independent state constituted in the form of a republic," he declared.
With a serious demeanour, the Catalan president said that "Catalonia has hard won its sovereignty and all to the respect and the institutions have the obligation to implement the result".
It's finished
"The Spanish state has today written a shameful page in its history with Catalonia", he said, continuing that, "sadly", it's not the first. "Too many times" has there been repression and violence as the state's response to the aspirations of Catalonia, he said. "Today we've said that that's finished."
Behind the Catalan government, only two flags: Catalan and European. This wasn't on accident. The president made "a direct appeal to Europe". "The European Union cannot continue looking in the other direction. We're European citizens suffering the violation of rights and liberties, directly violations of the European Charter of Fundamental Rights," said the president.
As such, he urged the EU to strengthen its foundational values when they are submitted to the abuses of a state which "is behaving in an authoritarian manner". Not onlly that, he warned Europe that it will have to act quickly "to maintain the moral authority in and out of the continent when these abuses scandalise the men and women of good around the world".
Puigdemont showed himself sad that almost 800 people have had to receive medical attention as a consequence of the "police brutality" with "vexations and clear violations of human rights, which can't remain unpunished".
At the same time, he wanted to recognise the example of "civility of a peaceful people" offered by Catalonia today. "You've resisted the provocations and managed that the people could go to vote", he added, expressing his emotional thanks. "Your exemplary gesture of solidarity, anonymity will remain engraved in our memory," he said.