Catalonia crisis: Officials 'will not follow orders from Madrid'
Catalan authorities will not follow orders from the Spanish government if Madrid moves to reassert control over the region, a senior official says.
Foreign affairs spokesman Raul Romeva told the BBC the central government was acting against the will of Catalans.
Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has announced plans to sack Catalonia's regional government and curtail some of the freedoms of its parliament.
Separatist parties in Catalonia are expected to discuss their plans later.
A referendum outlawed by Spain was held on 1 October in Catalonia.
The Catalan government, led by President Carles Puigdemont, said that of the 43% said to have taken part, 90% were in favour of independence.
Unionist parties who won about 40% of the vote at the 2015 Catalan elections boycotted the ballot and many anti-independence supporters stayed away, arguing it was not valid.
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"The people have decided democratically for years what is the government they want, what is the parliament they want. These institutions need to be preserved," Mr Romeva said.
"No-one else but the people has the right to change those institutions."
The Spanish Senate is expected to approve the government's measures on Friday along with a proposal for fresh regional elections.
