Lower House of Parliament, Madrid
The President of the United States, Barack Obama, expressed a firm commitment to maintaining relations with a strong and united Spain after receiving King Felipe VI at the White House, who is on an official visit to Washington and Florida.
Mariano Rajoy stressed that President Obama's thoughts are very similar to the opinion held by the majority of leaders around the world, as expressed by the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, and the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel.
David Cameron said on 4 September during his latest visit to Moncloa Palace that "we are better off together, we are stronger together, we are more prosperous together and we should stay together". Furthermore, he recalled that "if part of a State declares its secession from that State, then it no longer forms part of the European Union and has to get back in line behind other candidate countries".
Along the same lines, Angela Merkel stressed on 1 September during the Schloss Meseberg Informal Spain-Germany Summit that the "European Treaties that guarantee the sovereignty and territorial integrity of each State must be respected".
The President of the Government reiterated today that he will work to achieve "a strong and united Spain, that forms part of Europe, where nobody loses their rights and where everyone can enjoy their status as citizens of Europe, Spain and their own region".
Mariano Rajoy made these statements upon arriving at the Lower House of Parliament where voting took place on the report and amendments to the Draft General State Budget for 2016, which will now be passed to the Upper House of Parliament.
