Scotland vote fires dreams world over

Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators stand on the streets waving their “estelada” flags, that symbolizes Catalonia's independence, during a protest calling for the independence of Catalonia in Barcelona, Spain (Photo: AP)

London: The surge in support for Scottish independence ahead of next week’s referendum has encouraged Catalans trying to break from Spain.

Thousands of Catalans are expected on the streets of Barcelona on Thursday to demand a referendum on independence.

Catalonia lost its status during the 1701-1715 Spanish wars of succession, when it backed the wrong contender for the throne and was punished by king Philip V.

In Ukraine, insurgents have taken to social media to mock the possible break-up of Britain — and press their fight for their own state in eastern Ukraine.

Crimea’s pro-Kremlin acting leader Sergei Aksyonov said the West would have “no other option” but to back the peninsula’s move to break from Ukraine.

Nationalist supporters from Kurdistan, which wants independence from Iraq and Turkey to Quebec, which wants to separate from Canada, are also watching the Scotland vote.

“It would create a very important precedent,” said Naif Bezwan of Mardin Artuklu Univer-sity in the Kurdish part of Turkey.  

Meanwhile, Royal Bank of Scotland will move its registered offices to England if Scotland votes for independence from Britain in next week's referendum, the state-owned lender said.

RBS, bailed out by the British government following the 2008 financial crisis, joins state-rescued Lloyds Banking Group in switching key operations to England from Scotland.

The RBS is 81 per cent owned by the British state after it was rescued with a £45.5 billion package. Lloyds got £20 billions 

Source http://www.deccanchronicle.com/140912/world-europe/article/scotland-vote-fires-dreams-world-over