The pro-independence parties of Catalonia with new declaration of independence

In doing so, they gave a joint response to the decision of the Spanish Supreme Court, which condemned 12 Catalan leaders eleven days ago for organising a banned independence referendum in 2017.

The declaration is not a binding document, but Catalan independence lawyers want to show that the referendum is the will of the people.

The text “reflects the right to self-determination and sovereignty of the Catalonian people so that it can determine its political future”.

Together for Catalonia ( JxCat, Republican Left Catalanese (ERC) and Candidate for National Unity (CUP) will send a resolution to the Catalonia Parliament for approval.

It is contrary to the provisions of the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court, which declared in their judgments that the Spanish Constitution does not allow a referendum on independence.

But Catalan Parliament Speaker Roger Torrent, an EPC member, approved the vote on the declaration.

“We will take all possible consequences, both legal and personal, so that everything can be discussed in parliament,” said Torrent.

Opposition parties protecting Spain's integrity in the Catalan Parliament have said the declaration is a “perde smoke”, in order to cover the differences between the three parties that favour Catalonia's independence.