BARCELONA, Sep. 26 (MNA) – The Public Diplomacy Council of Catalonia, linked to the regional government, said on Friday that 15 parliamentarians from 12 countries will monitor the controversial elections marked by a strong separatist tinge, set for next Sunday.

Parliamentarians from Germany, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Scotland, France, Finland, Ireland, Uruguay, Sweden and the United Kingdom, members of regional chambers, state parliaments and the European Parliament will visit 30 electoral colleges in various Catalan communities.

With this measure the independence forces try to handle an international offensive included in what they describe as a campaign of fear against independence, joined by various leaders from other countries.

Among those who expressed opinions contrary to the independence of Catalonia are German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British Prime Minister David Cameron, US President Barack Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Also the European Community through its spokesperson Margaritis Schinas said that an independent Catalonia would be excluded from the European Union.

Opinion polls, banned from yesterday, suggest that independents would win a parliamentary majority, although without reaching the 50 percent of the vote, with some 600,000 people undecided that can change the result of what is expected to be a tight vote.

 

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