Spanish PM insists Catalan Independence vote not to happen

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Saturday repeated his assurance that the referendum over the independence of the Catalan region in the northeast of the country "will not happen."

Pro-independence groups in the Catalan regional assembly are expected in the coming week to pass a law paving the way for the referendum to be held on Oct. 1.

However, addressing a meeting of his People's Party, Rajoy insisted the referendum went against the Spanish Constitution, saying "the law will prevail," and that if this was not the case it would be "folly."

"They are not going to do that," continued Rajoy, saying he would stop the referendum "with all the legitimacy there is, without raising our voices and without entering into any sterile confrontation," although he also called for unity and the "cooperation of security forces."

"Some people aim to liquidate the rights of Spanish democracy in one day and they are not going to do that," he said.