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The 1st October independence referendum has now officially been declared. All the members of the Catalan government have signed the summoning decree, in room 4 of the Parliament, whilst the plenary assembly continued working at a very unusual time, half eleven at night. Once all the ministers had signed the decree, a vote was held in the Parliament to approve the change to the agenda to allow for a vote on Thursday morning on the composition of the Electoral Syndicate, the group of five legal experts who will oversee the vote. The whole government then appeared in the Parliament's auditorium.

The Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, said that his government and the Parliament would take responsibility for defending the right to vote and guaranteed full effort, "full will and commitment". "It's what governers have to do when the history of their country arrives at moments like this, of crossroads, of commitment, moments in which everyone, government and Parliament, assume our responsibilities," he said.

He also said, however, that it's the public's moment too. "To decide via the ballot box, to accept the verdict, that is democracy. To deny this right, to treat the Catalans as subjects of a State that fabricates threats at the same rate it fabricates broken [promises/laws], that's not democracy, that's something else," he warned.

This is no time for fears, according to the president. It's time to take risks and strengthen determination. "In moments of change, to stay comfortable, doing nothing, is an attitude of resignation that prevents progress," said the president.

Ruben Moreno decret

The signing of the decree had to wait for the Referendum Law to be published in the Catalan Government's Official Gazette. 

One hour earlier, the president had signed and enacted the Law.

Translation: President Carles Puigdemont is signing and enacting the Law for the Self-Detemination Referendum of Catalonia