Spain welcomes Scots' 'No', but Catalans defiant

Barcelona: The Spanish government on Friday welcomed Scotland's "No" vote on independence, but Catalans set on breaking away from Spain vowed to push on for their own ballot on self-rule.

Nationalists in the northeastern Catalonia region keenly watched the result from Scotland, knowing a "Yes" result there would fire up their own campaign to hold a vote -- a move fiercely opposed by Spain'scentral government."We are very happy that Scotland is staying with us," Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said, hailing the result as positive for "the integration of the European Union". But in Catalonia, supporters of independence were undaunted.

Leaders there have pushed ahead this week with their vote plans regardless of the result in Scotland. "Of course we hoped that Scotland would vote 'Yes' and that would catch on to Catalonia, but the point is that they have been able to vote and we have not," said Josep Maria Garrell, a 55-year-old baker in Arenys de Munt, north of Barcelona. In 2009 his town became the first Catalan village to stage a symbolic vote on independence. Catalonia's regional parliament was due on Friday to pass a new electoral law that its leaders say will authorise them to hold a non-binding "consultation" on independence.