Madrid believed that it had a quiet understanding with Catalan nationalists that "Spain does not interfere with what is going on in Catalonia" while Catalan leaders respect Spain’s integrity, Carlos Carrizos said.
According to the politician, this strategy has failed to the extent that it now does not make sense "to compromise with those who will never be happy with the concessions you make."
Catalonia has long sought independence from Spain, accusing Madrid of constraining its economic and cultural autonomy and unfairly distributing resources within the country.
A coalition of pro-independence parties has pledged to set processes in motion for the autonomous region to separate from Spain within 18 months, should they win a majority on Sunday.
