Catalan separatists threaten to nix Spanish gov't budget Catalonia's separatist leader says the Spanish government's bid to pass a national budget is doomed unless the wealthy northeastern region is allowed to hold a referendum on secession from the rest of the country

BARCELONA, Spain -- Catalonia's separatist leader says the Spanish government's bid to pass a national budget is doomed unless the wealthy northeastern region is allowed to hold a referendum on secession from the rest of the country.

The passing of a budget would boost the chances for the minority government of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to see out its term until 2020. Failure would put pressure on Sanchez to call early elections for the eurozone's fourth largest economy.

Catalan regional president Quim Torra has told The Associated Press that Catalonia's separatist parties "will vote against the budget because there has been no movement by the Spanish national government toward what we are demanding."

Sanchez has refused to agree to a referendum, which the nation's courts say would violate the Constitution.