Catalonia

The Council of Ministers has made a decision to open a consulate of the Republic of Bulgaria in the Kingdom of Spain, headed by a consul, with a seat in the city of Barcelona and a consular district covering the territory of the autonomous communities of Catalonia and Aragon, said the government press office.

Steps have been taken to open a consulate in Barcelona. This is announced by Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva in a written response to a question by MP BSP Manol Genov.

Catalan musician Josep Tero's relationship to Greece was defined by two significant incidents. The first was his arrest and 12-hour incarceration during the dictatorship in 1973 for photographing the security police's headquarters on Bouboulinas Street in Athens, known as the "abattoir" for the brutal interrogations that took place within its walls.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez confirmed on Friday a general election would be held in Spain on April 28, reported Euro News. 

The decision followed the Spanish parliament's rejection of the government's preliminary 2019 budget on Wednesday.

A sensitive trial against a dozen Catalan separatist politicians and activists got underway on Feb. 12 in Spain's Supreme Court amid protests by pro-independence supporters and a highly volatile political environment.

Spain's Supreme Court on Oct. 25 ordered 18 former Catalan leaders to stand trial over their role in last year's declaration of independence.

Pro-independence protesters obstructed major roads and a high-speed railway line in Spain's Catalonia region on Monday, one year after a banned referendum on secession marred by police violence.

The demonstration was organized on the occasion of the National Day of Catalonia.

From the LSV, an opposition Serbian party, Beta agency was able to confirm that their delegation led by Secretary-General Bojan Kostres was in Barcelona.

Former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont has nominated a political newcomer to be the region's new president.

In a video from his self-imposed exile in Berlin, Mr Puigdemont named Quim Torra to be a candidate for the presidency of the region.

Mr Torra is an MP from Mr Puigdemont's pro-independence party, Together for Catalonia (JxCat).

Ousted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont called for immediate "political dialogue" to end the row with Madrid as he left a German jail on bail on April 6 after judges rejected his extradition to Spain on a rebellion charge.