Catalaanse leiders dreigen met 'nee'-campagne tijdens referendum als Catalaans geen officiële EU-taal wordt (en)

Jordi Pujol, former Catalan leader and head of the Convergència Democràtica de Catalunya (CDC) party, is threatening to vote against the Constitutional Treaty if Catalan is not adopted as an official EU language.

Speaking at the 14th congress of the CDC Mr Pujol defended the `Europeanness' of a `no' vote.

The party continues to press for Catalan to be recognised as an official EU language and is pressing for Catalan representation in the European Union's institutions.

Mr Pujol - who was the longest standing leader of Catalonia's Generalitat, or regional government - also stated that in the same way a `no' vote was not anti-European, a `yes' vote should not be considered anti-Catalan.

All Spain's major parties are set to back a `yes' vote during the referendum, which is expected to come on 27 February 2005.