Scottish Government release statement on Catalonia referendum

Cabinet Secretary for External Affairs Fiona Hyslop has commented on the continued dispute between the governments of Spain and Catalonia on proposals for a referendum

A continued dispute has been raging between the governments of Spain and Catalonia. Picture; Getty

Opinion polls in Catalonia have consistently found between 70 and 80 per cent of voters support a referendum, with a proposed date set for October 1st.

Support for a unilateral referendum - like the one on October 1 - is around 40 per cent.

A statement released on the Scottish Government website from Fiona Hyslop read: “The decision over Catalonia’s future direction is a matter for the people who live there, and the Catalan and Spanish Governments are perfectly entitled to take positions for and against independence.

“However, all peoples have the right to self-determination and to choose the form of government best suited to their needs, a principle which is enshrined in the UN Charter.

“The Edinburgh Agreement was an example of how two governments, with diametrically opposed views on whether or not Scotland should become independent, were able to come together to agree a process to allow the people to decide. It is essential that democracy and civil rights are respected in all countries.”