Catalan parliament will respond to Spanish PM's measures: President

IANS photo

Barcelona: The President of Spain`s Catalonia region said on Saturday he would convene a session of the regional Parliament to debate and decide a proper response to the measures announced earlier in the day by Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy.

Carles Puigdemont made his remarks hours after Rajoy said he would invoke Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution, a provision that allows the central government to suspend that northeastern region`s autonomy and place it under the direct rule of Madrid starting next weekend, reports Efe.

The Senate would need to approve the measures in a vote scheduled for Friday.

The measures were announced after an emergency Cabinet meeting was called to weigh the Spanish government`s response to Catalonia`s independence drive.