Spain’s Rajoy sends warning to Scots on EU membership

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy suggested on the 27 November 2013 that an independent Scotland would have to apply to become a member of the EU from the outside, contradicting the official Scottish nationalist position.

Scottish leader Alex Salmond played down the statement, saying the European Union would welcome Scotland with open arms.

'Scotland is a European nation. Resource-rich Scotland would be welcome. Anybody with an ounce of sense knows that,' he said.

Scottish secession would require a re-allocation of voting weights and parliamentary seats in the EU's two lawmaking bodies, the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament. It would also be entitled to an EU Commissioner.

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