To this is al jazeera live from london also coming up kenyas Opposition Leader announces hes withdrawing from the rerun of the president ial election. Here in liberia where theres an hour left of voting to replace africas first elected female president. And ten days twenty thousand evacuated and hundreds of homes destroyed as wildfires spread in california. And it will begin in spain learn announcement is expected on the future of catalonia its leader catulus praised him on was to give a speech an hour ago but his highly anticipated announcement was unexpectedly put back with m. P. s walking out of parliament there are mixed reports on whats behind the delay. At a Cabinet Meeting at the Regional Parliament in barcelona is speech is expected to outline whether hell make a unilateral declaration of independence after a referendum vote to break away break away from spain the Spanish Government has warned it will act on any attempt to divide the country. With correspondents in madrid and barcelona lets go first to jonah hall whos outside the Catalan Parliament so john if you managed to glean any further information about why the delay. You know really laurent something is clearly up were not entirely clear what it is the delay as you mentioned there for an hour of this speech taking place it may now be about to take place we understand that employees are beginning to move back into the chamber what has happened in the last hour though is a matter of fierce speculation here as you can probably imagine we know that shortly after mr we demoed arrived here the Parliament Building he went to a meeting with his party and the party in the governing coalition the other party a squatter and also the far left party that lends its seats to the governing coalition in important votes like this because i dont in fact have an outright majority of their own left very very very keen on independence and it totally some m. P. s p. C. Leaving that meeting looking less than pleased with what had happened inside and then reports began to emerge that possibly there been some sort of intervention perhaps some sort of mediation effort International Mediation effort the e. U. Was. Mentioned though thats been denied by brussels now but perhaps some sort of mediation effort ongoing and of course this government here in catalonia has long talked about its willingness to enter into talks on this issue its willingness to see some sort of International Media in mediation take place between barcelona and madrid but madrid has long steadfastly rejected that and has in the last few minutes as well according to a government spokesman in madrid rejected that possibility so quite what has happened is deeply unclear everybody speculating about it we may indeed be about to find out though as m. P. s enter the chamber and jane just remind us if it isnt a declaration of independence of unilateral one what could it be instead is it has anyone discussed what the options might be if he doesnt go to the full blown independent. Well if it isnt a full blown declaration of independence then the assumption would have to be that mr demand and his partners have caved to the growing pressure the International Pressure the pressure here in catalonia as well the economic pressure the pressure from madrid they threatened him with the rest they threatened to revoke Catalonia Autonomy and so on what would they like most here in catalonia i mean ideally what they really want is a legal referendum they want a legal path to independence which can be proven beyond dispute and that is what they would most like madrid to give them short of that perhaps they might be happy with some increased autonomy some greater power over taxation perhaps and those are the sorts of things they may be willing to negotiate about so the suggestion is that possibly he stands up in the parliament tries to mollify those who support the idea of independence by making some sort of symbolic statement about catalonia his newly won rights to independence as a result of this referendum and leaving the door open then for talks with madrid but we know already. Madrid has said there will be no talks at all so until or unless the entire demand for independence is dropped joe just as we told you were watching those pictures of the Catalan Parliament there and it does seem as though the speech is now going to go ahead alice pushed him on is in position and just just kind also reminded how big a cabinet it is how long that discussion went on before they came to this sort of delay and then the speech thats about to happen. Or and youre going to have to ask me that question again im so sorry i didnt catch it sorry i was going to ask you how how big a cabinet it is when they can when they put out what was going to just keeping an eye on here things looking imminent we want to be talking a bit but youll be sitting back and acting the chairs and i mean as you just it will remind us what. The kind of why they were going to declare independence on the back of the referendum what the kind of background to that was a lot why it was that that the cattle and hung on to put in place the rules over the over what happened after the referendum. Where the background is pretty interesting to that there was a vote in Parliament Early september ahead of the referendum on the first of october that legalized at least in the eyes of the parliament here in catalonia the referendum which of course had been declared illegal by madrid that vote was pushed through late at night when the governing coalition had in the chamber its deputies of the deputies of corp in place but not necessarily everybody else there and there wasnt a whole similar debate on the matter it was simply pushed through but there it was the referendum law and what the referendum law said was in the event of a positive outcome to the referendum within forty eight hours a declaration of independence would be made would do the last week and mr policeman said he intended to make that declaration it was delayed by beyond the forty eight hour deadline he said he would do it on monday yesterday and that session of parliament was immediately banned by the Constitutional Court in madrid which of course. Has the power to do so what they then did was said right well well gather instead on tuesday there wont be a declaration of independence per se well be giving a report back on the referendum so sort of neat use of words there to avoid the ire of the Constitutional Court of madrid thats where we are now thats why this court this parliament is sitting thats why mr kerry tomorrow is about to give this address its not openly billed as a declaration of independence but the thinking is that if hes ever going to do it hes going to do it now and off course a lot of people two Million People who voted for it would very much like to see that happen and whats your impression when youve been talking to people on the streets do you think the need shifted over the last few days when they saw business is shifting out of catalonia in anticipation of their potential independence. I think thats definitely what. The government here would like people to believe that the. Pardon shifted away from independence with the departure of companies yes i believe that it did i think what the government here would like people to believe is that the violence that the madrid Government Police perpetrated on voters here on the first of october that that would have turned a lot of people who were perhaps middling or on the fence or against independents in favor of the cause as it were but certainly with this exodus of businesses that took place throughout the course of last week now fifteen big businesses these are Major Stock Exchange listed businesses including two very large Spanish Banks whove moved their legal headquarters out of catalonia here for fear of this place finding itself not just independent but immediately ejected from the European Union because thats what brussels has said will happen that has sharpened peoples minds if you like to what is really at stake in this independence drive i think thats entirely possible we were out on the streets on sunday it was an enormous rally far bigger than anybody had quite expected to see a lot of people came from outside of catalonia as well to support that rally but everyone we spoke to was careful and they call themselves the silent majority they believe they have the numbers of a majority. Theyve not voted in this referendum or the parliamentary election in two thousand and fifteen because theyve not wanted to legitimize the drive for independence here but they absolutely dont want to see it happen and they were very much very vocal finding their voices again on the streets on sunday and theyre extremely worried about the idea of a catalonia cast adrift from spain a new border erected between this small region and the rest of spain which effectively would be an external border of the European Union brussels has been totally unequivocal about the fact that they would be no instant membership theyd have to reapply of course that would have to be approved by all the members of the union including the Spanish Parliament who would likely reject it there is a deep sense of disquiet here not just on the economic level but on the social level as well these people would suddenly find themselves stripped of spanish and european citizenship. Families torn asunder already split over this a very divisive very passionate issue and also of course the worry that people may turn on each other that crowds may become unfriendly that riots and violence. Follow what may happen next because madrid has threatened not just mr please amount with possible arrest but it may use Emergency Powers under the constitution section one five five never used before to move in here on mass to seize government buildings to strip catalonia of its autonomy and what sort of public reaction that may provoke on the streets is anybodys guess but quite possibly a very nasty one so this is the sort of scene that confronts a lot of people here as they stare down the barrel of what may very well be a declaration of independence possibly imminent in that Parliament Chamber that youre looking at there. For the time being thank you very much as we wait for kais separated him on to get up and speak lets talk to his Spanish Parliament and hes keeping everyone. The suspense is killing us all isnt it. Yeah yes yes im sorry thats a statement on the question of the same time. No i mean as our guest earlier on was saying you know we hear all the unionists who are against independence find its extraordinary and frankly fairly revolting that you have a group of patients that represents no more than half the population. Who are intent on hatching a plan thats their people the spanish people the Spanish Parliament and the European Union in the outside world absolutely nothing about and frankly i think further to that they would see it as less than impressive that there is this apparent lack of certainty between the two parties in the Independence Coalition as to what exactly theyre doing and remember. Drawing the parallel with. Exactly the same way. In the u. K. And drawing of the far left and the hard right so the independence. Is drawn from the far left and some very socially and economically can so if the people and it is those people who have become twitchy over the last few days of the prospect of banks moving out and business moving out to catalonia so here i think they will see this delay as a crack in the capital and in the print in the certainty of the carbon in the pens but as far as it goes no one here still knows exactly what what is it what is going on unless theres a back channel between spain and the European Commission and then back to the cattle government. Emerges. A unilateral declaration of independence that was that would force him to take. An extremely serious measures and measures which would which would leave the Spanish Government accused as usual. By its opponents of being fascists in the inheritance of franco obviously the Police Actions are a referendum they didnt help them at all and i think theyre probably try to learn a lesson from that but the things that are being considered for example the arrest of the catalan president which which which which would tournaments with political martyr for the catalan movement and the fact theyre talking about that because you say hes a traitor and this edition is broken the law gives you some sense of the measures that theyre actually thinking theoretically about taking what they dont want to do which is what the catalans wants and the European Union wants to negotiate with them as i say in the council and yet you daryn so lets say reason in. Parliament. What kind of a model going to talk to women about i mean honorable president of parliament that is president members of parliament councilors ladies and gentlemen. I am addressing this chamber today at my own request that he will report to cover and critical crisis from. The results of the better than i am on the. East and to explain the political consequences from me in terms of what i mean to me more i am aware as many of you are but today. Im also standing here before the people of catalonia and many other people who are focusing on whats happening today here in this chamber. Except you know we are going through our historic moment in time when she yes. The consequences and the fact that go beyond the country you. Need to see beyond being domestic issue as well have often heard from those who have neglected respond to religion is whenever they dont want to or not of what was happening catalonia is a european issue. You. Dont expect from this address any threat or i mean mading or insults at this moment in time is too serious to go that we have to through you so you want to read it is that. This is care that we yes collate tension. I think i mean we have to avoid that with any sort of we were. I would like to address of the whole population all those who thought you might be licensed on october first. Those who died on saturday. During the rally for dialogue and those who they did the massively on sunday defend. The unity of spain will be on those who havent modernized nearly of those probably not going to be french call us with our differences and this is you know you dont get loans in the name in what we understand about what and why we agree and what we dont like all of us the passion our party. People i was going to do and we have to face whatever happens next the end of course i start about history of course when they really want everything in the most that we can understand each other and have about the one shot or we have shown or always thought the only way forward is through the. Suspension for in that main respectfully those who dont agree with us feel like you have to try to achieve the collected aspirations but you bring with mind that this includes a lot of dialogue and im afraid if you know the history as you can i tend in the last hours days. Many people told me what i should do and what i shouldnt dream and all those are just terms are legitimate respect to world com ok and five more months such as this one ive tried to sound combust merely ask talks about drones because in all of them. I thought they had good arguments to distant terms and ive also been secretive and now you dont mean opinions from others who had have made to assess the current moment on the future and i would like to thank you as well as for your people that. Parliament however what im going to explain here today is not my own. Or some. This is the results of october first its the result of the government that i preside over when committing to celebrate i mean the south the terminations referendum. Its results. Well today we have to talk about the results of october first in parliament and thats what were going to do. We are here today because on october first got a law and had held selfdetermination referendums. Same. Circumstances in the first time and i know youre talking and democracy. Election election day took place on the sides for this against those who wish. To cast a vote. For this on the what is the real police force has. Caused so many of our cities and eight hundred people more than a hundred resulted interest we all witnessed last and so did the rest of the world who was shocked at those images out of the objective was not only to see his side of the ballot boxes slip so you know. You had to use that sort of force as and i doing so people would prefer rain from when i was going to vote but thats what the officials. Of the savannahs government. But you did not manage to deter people and more than two million almost three Million People went to vote and thats exactly we dont know how many try. Seeding but we know that. The falling of stations that were close accounted for about seven hundred thousand people. More than two major and one hundred inhabitants battlements voted. But. And they did so because when they went to a polling stations they found the ballot boxes. Voting slaves presiding officer as. The Water Management or yours for this action or in previous weeks in order to find the ballot boxes they not prevented the referendum from happening where the high of a shelter on the cut on government where also the cane but that did not stop the referendum that you might be. Close to us more than one hundred times towards. The correspondents it was also all planned and all that did not prevent the referendum from happening. Despite all the efforts to block the referendum when people went to pulling stations they did find a lot of boxes a census poting slaves and presiding officer i would like to acknowledge the efforts of all those people who will perish contributed to this major success what it was like to the citizens who cared about boxers in their homes to those who printed currently slaves the technicians who develop the universal Center System of. Government employee use those who voted in favor and against or implying you know knew about and all those anonymous people who contributed to making this. Especially when i was willing to you know express my affection and gratitude faction to all those people who sustained injuries during the referendum and we will always remember those images we will never forget those congregation we also must admit i now know that. The Government Action has contributed to a lot more anxiety within our society and as president of the Catalan Government i am well aware that there are many people who are concerned. And scared about whats happening and what could happen to notice you know from the many different views i mentioned you know which is you know question. You know i learned the indiscriminate here violence and what the americans the decision by some to relocate it out at the effect that yes. There isnt a real impact and Eileen Oconnor may also last year so not said. Billy has an impact if six hundred billion universe if you are going to have to change their brightest to office every year. Since you took that one fits all regulation. Actions of course cause the price to uncertainty those people got to ask them but i would like to tell them that i know of course i understand were going to cut and i empathize with you but i also want to convey with serenity we will not let them crash how do you move away from our commitment to dialogue tolerance. Specd for any discrepancies and i would have to have some dialogue as a president i will always act responsibly and i will always very mind the seven point five Million People who live in my country is not alone yeah. But now. I would like to explain why we are here today there are many people from the world looking at us you know that i know many people are listening to us and therefore i think we should explain ourselves i want to can you go since you know that you tater Francisco Franco i mean died caught on your high school trip we have heard across much to the consolidation of the spanish democracy going to catalonia not only has been the driving force. But also has been a source of modern i say chandon stability. Believed that the constitution of nineteen Seventy Eight was a good starting point to ensure its not government and progress for the long run it was fully committed to you. I mean country beauty to having to pander within europe but after many years of dictatorship however. Several years. Either. We saw. That point. That. Was no longer about. The current government so that was the end for. Time and that system will no longer evolve towards the direction that the catalan people wish to but when but what is your. Based on that in two thousand and five. Significant majority eighty eight percent of this parliament. And i repeat myself eighty eight percent of the members of this parliament. Preceded the perceived. In the spanish going to. Last me a proposal for a new bridge the statute of autonomy and that was sent to the Spanish Parliament. That gave rise to you campaigns of. Giving the idea that. They wanted to practice the strain. Approved in two thousand and six what was quite different from that in two thousand and five but having said that she. Was. Forty seven percent of the people that participated in the consultation and one million eight hundred ninety thousand people who supported it. These are the new york one hundred fifty thousand vote its less than those who voted for independence only and faster for the longest but hes not got them in twenty. Four years after passing this new start to it. Court. Made mostly of judges represented the two main parties in the Spanish Government that have a lot going to curtail the counter tell you says of the started. That it started i must say had been halted during our referendum. And in spite of our last polling all the for seediness and all the preceding stated within the constitution and following the Constitutional Order and having the support of faily eight percent of the members of the cotton and firemen i doubt that having the support of cities and see through a referendum on. The action of Constitutional Court leads the members of the Spanish Government time that text into something and become nice of all things and we must stress that not a lot of text which was not supported by the cantor and it is the current law that applies to get along out that. That was our last law our latest attempt through the constitution passed to change the situation and the result is a humiliation people are going to last. You know the spanish political establishment to stop this man has not tried to be more. And change the consequences but has conducted a very Aggressive Program of centralisation genocide in the last the last seven years have been the worst over the last forty years of greed. And then she threw the careers. And the sentences confidential as our devolved powers have been undermined for you know. Those house also like this investment. Has been no respect for our our culture. And history in our own land and this has deeply impacted catalans reside. To an extent that hearing in that period many cities and in fact in the millions of secret concluded rationally. That the only way to ensure their survival and the survival. Of the values our society as government was to constitute ourselves as a state supplement and on and on and the results of the latest satellite elections go to show this is Something Else that is quite significant. On the spot but i mean it is throwing dependent majority in parliament so there is some. Force across the board can send. The message that said cattle and are the ones who have to decide about the future of it in a peaceful and democratic manner and that had to be gone through a referendum theres an important newspaper in my treatment that carried out a saltation and to that eighty two percent of catalan wanted to do so that way. You know that to carry out this referendum. In the last hears. No matter scuttle and institution talk put forward separately titians before the Spanish Government more than eighteen to eighteen times. And we have asked to initiate some sort of dialogue with him but to celebrate a similar method im going to into the heart of scotland by a team of twenty fourteen referenda created by the two parties where both parties could campaign and explain their arguments both parties. Would accept to not apply the resort through a negotiation that would protect. The result. Right of all parties which is if this. Is what happens next week in one of the all there is no more significant holiday to democracies in the world that it is as it is the u. K. If you like and again that not happened here why was that not possible i said we have always like. You the government saying no no thats got it in addition to the persecution of cattle and of. Former president s of the catalog im allowed to. You name one other thing i didnt have legal. You know you are one of our you know unicef adamant and former president. Of the. President of the Parliament Mr proponents. Have been involved from all this you know november. You were barred from office and you november ninth twenty fourteen you know more thats the form of it and there were find randomly and obviously. If they dont pay more than five million universe america to the Constitutional Court all. Assets will be taken and their families could also be affected also and i mean im important parts of the bureau of parliament has also said what. I had to face complaints because they are allowed. To have any paid on the referendum as the measure of a complaint filed against the president of parliament and the beauty of parliament because she allowed this chamber to have a debate on that im done. I got the latest wave of repression against scotland situations such as the tension with about sixteen officials of the couple and government a little hard to see for i big question because you. In Congress Cards and with no knowledge of why what the charges were that kind of money for. The. Head last peaceful rally that you are charged with sedition and this would entail fifteen years of prison which are. The ones responsible for organizing the most peaceful rallies for him to show up to the rest of the of the world that this radical to yours and i see you know. My now without any incident this is the sort of response that cut that i need to somehow took place from the Spanish Government to sun exposure that our demands such as. Always been