Despite a recent high court ruling that suspended the secession process, pro-independence leaders in Catalonia say they will keep moving forward with their plans to break away from Spain.

The BBC reports Catalan Vice President Neus Munte maintains that the regional government will go on with their attempts at secession in 18 months time.

As reported by The Telegraph, Spain’s Constitutional Court has ordered the region's leaders to stop their attempts at forming a breakaway state. Any leader who fails to observe this ruling could be removed from office.

Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has voiced his frustration at the recent attempts to break away from Spain.

“This is something we cannot allow,” Rajoy said.

“Democracy is being undermined; everything is being undermined,” the conservative leader added. “They are playing with feelings and rights of Spaniards and the love they feel for a country which some people want to destroy."

Pro-independence leaders knew this ruling was coming, but were undaunted by the court's decision.

"The political will of the government of Catalonia is to go ahead with the content of the resolution," Munte said after the ruling.

Other leaders onboard with secession from Spain took to social media to express their views on the high court’s ruling.

Oriol Junqueras, a leader in the fight for Catalonia’s independence tweeted, “The will of the Catalan people cannot be suspended,” adding, “We are committed to continue with our democratic mandate.”

In an opinion piece for the BBC, Tom Burridge wrote that the threat of Catalan politicians creating their own state, despite whatever Spain's high court has decided, is very probable. He added that Madrid could well use the force of law to stop such a move.