MADRID, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Spain's Minister of Economy and Competitiveness, Luis de Guindos said Thursday that the situation over the referendum in the country's northeastern region of Catalonia had no impact on the Spanish economy "for now," media reported.
De Guindos told reporters Spain was living "a very specific moment" due to the organization of an independence referendum in Catalonia, which was suspended by the Spanish Constitutional Court but the region continues to organize.
In an interview with the Financial Times published on Thursday, de Guindos explained that Catalonia already had a good self-government agreement, he offered to talk with the region about a reform of the financial system, saying that the economic situation in Spain had changed since 2012 and now there was more fiscal margin. But he said he would only do this if the referendum was called off.
"If legality is respected again", de Guindos said, "we will offer an outstretched hand."
De Guindos insisted the referendum was illegal, in line with the statement made on Wednesday evening by Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy who said the referendum could not be held and asked the regional government of Catalonia, Generalitat, to stop with their illegal activities.
Meanwhile, thousands of people have taken to the streets over the past two days in Catalonia, especially in Barcelona, since the Spanish Civil Guard arrested 14 people (seven of them have been released)on Wednesday and searched several buildings.
