Catalonia stands firm on independence from Spain
BARCELONA, Spain_The regional government of Catalonia refused again Sunday to back off from its demand for independence from Spain, while Madrid harshly chided secessionist leaders and branded as illegal any move to try to break away from Spain.
The independence furor in Spain's most affluent region has sent shock waves across Europe, with neighboring governments fearing that the Catalonia showdown - the most serious constitutional crisis in Spain's four decades of democracy - could galvanize separatist sentiment elsewhere.
Angry exchanges between senior officials on both sides have become the norm.
