Spain's government will take the Basque regional authority to court over an autonomy plan Madrid says would "mutilate" the country's 25-year old constitution, Justice Minister Mr Jose Maria Michavila said today.
The move heightens the confrontation between Spain's central government and the regional authority over Basque premier Mr Juan Jose Ibarretxe's proposal for the Basque Country to have "free association" status within Spain.
Mr Ibarretxe says the plan will help end more than 30 years of separatist violence by ETA, the armed group that is listed as terrorist by the United States and the European Union.
Mr Ibarretxe's plan also seeks the Basque right to determine its sovereignty by referendum and recognise Basque nationality.
The Madrid government will take the plan to Spain's highest tribunal, the Constitutional Court, Mr Michavila told a news conference. He did not clarify what the government intended to do if the proposal was ruled unconstitutional.
Mr Michavila said the plan violates the constitution on more than 100 counts, and shows a "tenacious, constant and deliberate desire to unilaterally break with and mutilate the constitution, which our democracy and the rule of law are not going to permit."
A report from the State Justice Service said the plan would "shatter the institutions of democratic co-existence" and contravened the basic democratic principles and essential values of the 1978 constitution, Mr Michavila added.
The proposal would give the largely autonomous Basque government broader powers over education, health, taxation, and justice as well as the right to its own voice in Europe and establish relations with Basque areas elsewhere in Spain and in France.
If it went ahead, it could set a precedent for Spain's economic powerhouse Catalonia, where all the main political parties have tabled proposals for greater autonomy ahead of regional elections in mid-November.
The plan has dominated political debate in Spain since it was put forward a year ago.
Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar's centre-right government has denounced it as separatist and said it legitimised violence by ETA.
Spain ups stakes in battle over Basque autonomySpain's government will take the Basque regional authority to court over an autonomy plan Madrid says would "mutilate" the country's 25-year old constitution, Justice Minister Jose Maria Michavila said today.
The move heightens the confrontation between Spain's central government and the regional authority over Basque premier Juan Jose Ibarretxe's proposal for the Basque Country to have "free association" status within Spain.
Mr Ibarretxe says the plan will help end more than 30 years of separatist violence by ETA, the armed group that is listed as terrorist by the United States and the European Union.
Mr Ibarretxe's plan also seeks the Basque right to determine its sovereignty by referendum and recognise Basque nationality.
The Madrid government will take the plan to Spain's highest tribunal, the Constitutional Court, Mr Michavila told a news conference. He did not clarify what the government intended to do if the proposal was ruled unconstitutional.
Mr Michavila said the plan violates the constitution on more than 100 counts, and shows a "tenacious, constant and deliberate desire to unilaterally break with and mutilate the constitution, which our democracy and the rule of law are not going to permit."
A report from the State Justice Service said the plan would "shatter the institutions of democratic co-existence" and contravened the basic democratic principles and essential values of the 1978 constitution, Mr Michavila added.
The proposal would give the largely autonomous Basque government broader powers over education, health, taxation, and justice as well as the right to its own voice in Europe and establish relations with Basque areas elsewhere in Spain and in France.
If it went ahead, it could set a precedent for Spain's economic powerhouse Catalonia, where all the main political parties have tabled proposals for greater autonomy ahead of regional elections in mid-November.
The plan has dominated political debate in Spain since it was put forward a year ago.
Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar's centre-right government has denounced it as separatist and said it legitimised violence by ETA.