The heavy-handed attempts of the Spanish police to stop a Catalan referendum on independence on Sunday from taking place exposed predictable divisions in the Balkans.

While some politicians who support regional autonomy in the Balkans have come out in support of the Catalan referendum, most national governments - wary of separatism in their own countries - have lined up behind Spain.

Supporters and opponents of Catalonia's right to hold an independence referendum from Spain have emerged on foreseeable lines in the Balkans.

See at: http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/catalan-referendum-splits-balkans-politicians-10-02-2017