Georgia Supports Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity of Spain

Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) stated that Georgia fully supports sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Spain within the internationally recognized borders.

The statement was made after the referendum, held in Catalonia, a region in the northeast of Spain, which showed that 90% of people supported the separation of the region from Spain. 

“Georgia hopes that the situation in the Kingdom of Spain will be peacefully regulated in full compliance with the principles of the country's legislation, constitution and law," the Foreign Ministry said.

More than 2.25 million people turned out to October 1 referendum across Catalonia. The turnout was low - around 42% of the voter roll. Catalan authorities blamed the figure on the crackdown on the vote initiated by the national government.

Spain's national government in Madrid has ardently resisted separation. In the runup to the vote, national authorities seized ballot papers, voter lists and campaign material.

Thousands of extra national police were sent to the region and high-ranking Catalan officials involved in organizing the referendum were arrested.

Spain's highest court had ruled the vote illegal under the Spanish constitution. 

Catalan officials called on the EU to step in but the EU backed Madrid. The European Commission, the European Union's executive body, said the vote was illegal.

By Thea Morrison

05 October 2017 02:37