Spain dismisses all top Catalonia officials

Shortly after, the Spanish Senate gave the Rajoy government the power to establish direct rule in Catalonia, reports “BBC”, report Periscope.

He did so early Saturday, publishing on the official Spanish page the announcement of the dismissal of Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont, his deputy Oriol Junqueras and all other government members.

The announcement came hours after the Madrid government dismissed Josep Lousís Trapero Álvarez as the autonomous police chief of Catalonia Mossos.

Trapero was already under investigation for the riots, accused of failing to help Civil Police Guardia civil police deal with thousands of pro-independence protesters in Barcelona during the referendum threshold.

Pere Solar of Campins, the general director of Mossos, has also been fired.

“Puigdemont had the opportunity to return to normality and call elections”, Rajoy said.

Regional elections are scheduled on 21 December.

Puigdemont called on the supporters of “to keep quiet” in a peaceful manner. Spanish prosecutors say they will press charges against “rebeling” against him next week.

Separatists say the measure of independence means they no longer fall under Spanish jurisdiction.

But the Constitutional Court of Spain is likely to declare it illegal, while the EU, the US, Great Britain, Germany and France all expressed support for Spanish unity. /Periscopi/