Spain's government has said it will not accept "blackmail" after the Catalan leader indicated that independence could be declared next week.

Carles Puigdemont must return to the path of law before any negotiation could take place, the Madrid government said in a statement (in Spanish).

His criticism of the king showed he was "out of touch with reality", it added.

Catalan officials say 90% of those who voted in a disputed referendum on Sunday backed independence.

Organisers put the turnout on Sunday at 42%, with 2.2 million people taking part. But there were several reports of irregularities.

There was violence at polling stations as police, trying to enforce a Spanish court decision to ban the vote, attempted to seize ballot boxes and disperse voters.

King Felipe VI made a TV address on Tuesday night, calling Sunday's vote illegal and undemocratic.

Mr Puigdemont attacked him for "deliberately ignoring millions of Catalans" and accused the king of adopting the Spanish government's position.

"This moment calls for mediation," he said in a televised statement late on Wednesday. He claimed that the king had rejected a moderating role granted to him by the Spanish constitution.

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Mr Puigdemont told the BBC on Tuesday that he would declare independence "at the end of this week or the beginning of next".

The Catalan government has said there will be an extraordinary meeting of parliament on Monday to discuss the outcome of the disputed referendum.
In his statement on Wednesday evening, Mr Puigdemont did not give any further details of a possible declaration of independence.

Switching to Spanish from Catalan, he thanked Spanish citizens who had sent their "solidarity" to Catalonia.
https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/world-europe-41509050

puidgemont has now shifted to Monday!

the earlier puidgemont corrects himself in line with the Spanish constitution. the better for Catalan and Spain.

the whole of Catalan now knows that puidgemont and his crews lead the Catalan people of Spain into an unnecessary matter.

just call off the secession threat and everybody move on to exit from brexit.

Mrs Theresa May needs every support to Save Britain from an impeding problem for EU,Ireland and Britain