Spain's Constitutional Court annuls Catalan declaration of independence

스페인 헌재, 카탈루냐 독립선언 무효 결정 Spain's Constitutional Court has officially annulled the Catalan parliament's unilateral declaration of independence. The ruling came as mass protests brought the region to a standstill. Ro Aram has the details. In a widely expected ruling, Spain's Constitutional Court ruled on Wednesday to annul the Catalan parliament's unilateral declaration of independence. The court had initially suspended implementation of the secession declaration last month while it studied its legality following a challenge by Madrid. Late last month the region voted unanimously for independence in a referendum deemed illegitimate by the Spanish central government. But voter turnout didn't even reach 50 percent and the issue remains divisive. The court's ruling came as pro-independence protesters closed roads and severed transport links in Catalonia, mostly heading in and out of Barcelona. The sit-down demonstrations, originally to demand an increase in minimal wage levels in the region, were mostly peaceful apart from a few scuffles. They were quickly adopted by pro-independence activists to demand the release of imprisoned Catalan politicians and to protest Madrid's imposition of direct rule. They were also chanting the name of ex-leader Carles Puigdemont and referring to him as "our president". He, along with his ex-ministers, face several charges, including rebellion, and are scheduled to appear in court in Belgium next Friday. Meanwhile, in an interview with the BBC, Spain's Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis said Madrid is considering constitutional changes that could allow its regions to hold referendums on independence in the future. However, he said the issue would be voted upon in a nationwide vote, adding the decision would have to be taken by all Spaniards. Ro Aram, Arirang News. Arirang News Facebook:   / arirangtvnews   ------------------------------------------------------------ [Subscribe Arirang Official YouTube] ARIRANG TV:    / arirang   ARIRANG RADIO:    / music180arirang   ARIRANG NEWS:    / arirangnews   ARIRANG K-POP:    / arirangworld   ARIRANG ISSUE:    / arirangtoday   ARIRANG CULTURE:    / arirangkorean   ------------------------------------------------------------ [Visit Arirang TV Official Pages] Facebook:   / arirangtv   Twitter:   / arirangworld   Instagram:   / arirangworld   Homepage: http://www.arirang.com ------------------------------------------------------------ [Arirang K-Pop] YouTube:    / arirangworld   Facebook:   / arirangkpop   Google+: http://plus.google.com/+arirangworld