Morenés warns: "The armed forces will not intervene in Catalonia on 27-S if everyone does their duty"
On the article of the Constitution that permits suspension of self-rule, the Defense Minister says that he is in favor of "enforcing the law whenever the law is broken"
BarcelonaPedro Morenés, Spain’s Defense Minister, stated on Tuesday that the armed forces should not have play a part in the Catalan independence process "if everyone does their duty". "If everyone fulfills their duty, I assure you that there will not be any type of action", he said in an interview with RNE (Spain’s public national radio) picked up by Europa Press, after being questioned as to the role of the armed forces in the event of a unilateral declaration of independence.
Morenés replied that the armed forces know their role perfectly well, and he said that they are "absolutely and perfectly democratic" and are "subject to the rule of law", like all institutions and people. "Their obligations are established in the law, and they will be strictly complied with", he assured.
In addition, he stressed that in a state ruled by law each and everyone has a responsibility, and that the political leaders --in both Spain and Catalonia-- have sworn to comply with and uphold the Constitution. "Each person must fulfill their duty-- the armed forces, the elected leaders, and the people", he concluded.
When asked as to whether he is in favor of applying article 155 of the Constitution, which allows the Spanish government to require any regional government "by force" to meet its obligations, he was clear that he is in favor of "enforcing the law whenever the law is broken".
"It doesn’t matter if the Spanish government is booed, as long as people applaud the flag".
Regarding the military parade on October 12th (Spain’s national holiday), which will take place in a pre-electoral climate, Morenés made it clear that, in his opinion, "it doesn’t matter" if the government is booed, as long as "people applaud the flag".
He criticized the removal of Spanish flags in some city halls because it violates the law and "for lack of respect for the sensitivity of the immense majority of Spaniards who love and respect this flag and, in the case of some members of the military, give their lives for it".
