Rajoy in first Catalonia visit since direct rule

MADRID - Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Sunday arrived in Barcelona for the first time after the central government applied the article 155 of Spanish constitution to sack Catalan government and take control over Catalonia.

Rajoy's arrival was welcomed by thousands of his supporters. He then made a speech to the public, calling for the Catalan people to support the unity of Spain by encouraging "the silent or silenced majority to convert their voice into a vote".

Rajoy also expressed his worries about the Catalan economy, which has suffered due to the chaos caused by the unilateral declaration of independence, as more than 2,000 companies have left the region due to the continuous tensions.