Spain’s Prime Minister Threatens to Extend Direct Rule Over Catalonia<br />Nevertheless, as Mr. Rajoy was speaking, a court in Barcelona found the former governing party of Catalonia guilty of taking bribes worth about<br />6.6 million euros while awarding building contracts to renovate one of the city’s most famous concert halls, the Palau de la Música.<br />The former treasurer of the party, called Convergence, Daniel Osàcar, was sentenced to four years<br />and five months in prison, while a dozen former officials and consultants who worked for the concert hall also received prison sentences.<br />His successor as party leader, Artur Mas, embraced the independence drive in 2012, after a dispute with Mr. Rajoy over whether the wealthy region of Catalonia should gain better fiscal treatment in a Spanish tax system<br />that redistributes money to the poorer regions from the richer ones.<br />In Madrid, Mr. Rajoy is also under increased pressure, after calling a snap election in Catalonia<br />that yielded another separatist victory and instead sank his own Popular Party, which came in last.<br />Supported by By Raphael Minder BARCELONA — Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy of Spain threatened on Monday to prolong his government’s<br />direct rule over Catalonia if separatist lawmakers try to allow Carles Puigdemont to run the region from exile.<br />On Monday, Mr. Mas defended his party, as well as his former party treasurer, who is among those appealing the sentences.
