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Catalonia's ex-president Puigdemont: I'm not in Belgium to seek asylum Catalonia's ex-president Puigdemont: I'm not in Belgium to seek asylum
(about 3 hours later)
Catalonia’s ousted president, Carles Puigdemont, has said he came to Belgium to act “in freedom and safety”, but not to seek political asylum. Catalonia’s deposed president, Carles Puigdemont, has said he has no plans to seek political asylum in Belgium, telling a packed press conference in Brussels he would return home immediately if a fair judicial process were guaranteed in Spain.
Speaking at packed press conference in Brussels, Puigdemont said he would return home immediately if a fair judicial process was guaranteed. Puigdemont said he had come to the Belgian capital to seek safety and freedom, and accused Spanish police of failing to protect his rights and those of other separatist leaders.
On Monday, Spain’s attorney general called for charges of rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds to be brought against him and 13 other separatist leaders. That request showed “a desire, not for justice, but for vengeance”, Puigdemont said. On Monday, Spain’s attorney general called for charges of rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds to be brought against him and 13 other separatist leaders. That request showed “a desire, not for justice, but for vengeance”, said Puigdemont, who had made his way to Belgium before the charges were announced.
His appearance marked a further twist in a month-long crisis triggered by an independence referendum in Catalonia on 1 October. His appearance, flanked by five of his ousted regional chiefs, marked a further twist in a month-long crisis triggered by an independence referendum in Catalonia on 1 October.
Asked by reporters on Tuesday how long he would stay, Puigdemont responded: “As long we consider it [necessary]. The situation is developing every day. We have better guarantees for our rights here and we can meet our obligations.” The Spanish government argues that any referendum on Catalan independence would be illegal because the country’s 1978 constitution makes no provision for a vote on self-determination.
He added: “If they [Spanish authorities] can guarantee to all of us, and to me in particular, a just, independent process, with the separation of powers that we have in the majority of European nations, if they guarantee that, we would return immediately.” The Spanish constitutional court, which has suspended the referendum law pushed through the Catalan parliament in September, is looking into whether the law breaches the constitution.
The press conference came as Spain’s constitutional court suspended Friday’s declaration of independence by the Catalan parliament, and the supreme court said it had begun proceedings against Catalonian parliamentary officials over their role in the referendum. Separately, Spain’s civil guard police force searched the headquarters of Catalonia’s regional police. In March this year, the former Catalan president Artur Mas was banned from holding public office for two years after being found guilty of disobeying the constitutional court by holding a symbolic independence referendum three years ago.
Paul Bekaert, a Belgian lawyer specialising in asylum and extradition, confirmed on Monday that he was representing the Catalan leader, but said he was not preparing any request for political asylum. In a possible sign that Madrid has gained the upper hand in the dispute, Puigdemont also said he would accept the results of snap regional elections on 21 Decembercalled by the Spanish prime minister, Mariano Rajoy.
Belgium’s immigration minister, Theo Francken, a leading member of the Flemish separatist N-VA party, appeared to lay down the welcome mat when he told local media at the weekend: “If the Catalans demand asylum, Belgian law permits it.” Shortly before Puigdemont’s press conference, Spain’s constitutional court announced that it was suspending Friday’s unilateral declaration of independence by the Catalan parliament, while the supreme court said it had begun proceedings against Catalan officials over their role in the referendum. Separately, Spain’s civil guard police force searched the headquarters of Catalonia’s regional police.
Belgium’s prime minister, Charles Michel, reproached his minister for throwing “fuel on the fire” and said asylum for the Catalans was not on the agenda. Speculation that Puigdemont would apply for asylum rose when he appointed Paul Bekaert, a Belgian lawyer specialising in asylum and extradition, on Monday, but Puigdemont ruled out the move when questioned about it by reporters on Tuesday.
Asked how long he would stay, Puigdemont responded: “It depends. I need guarantees.”
Friday’s declaration of independence prompted Rajoy to take the unprecedented step of using article 155 of the constitution to sack Puigdemont and his government and impose direct rule.
As well as taking control of the region’s civil service, police and finances, Rajoy has also used the article to call December’s elections in Catalonia.
A Spanish government spokeswoman in Barcelona told reporters that Catalan autonomy had not been suspended, but was “just under new management”.
At a press conference in Barcelona, taking place while Puigdemont was speaking, she said: “We are not here to occupy the administration, but to oversee a return to normality as soon as possible. We intend to have minimal involvement. The transition has been very smooth.”
On Tuesday a spokesman for the Belgian prime minister, Charles Michel, said Puigdemont had not been invited by the Belgian government. “Mr Puigdemont has the same rights and duties as all European citizens, no more, no less,” the spokesman said.
Earlier in the day, Belgium’s deputy prime minister, Kris Peeters, noted tartly: “If you are going to declare independence, you usually stay with your people.”
The Catalan drama threatens to be a headache for Belgium’s government, a four-party coalition of Flemish nationalists, liberals and Christian Democrats that came into office in October 2014 after five months of negotiations.The Catalan drama threatens to be a headache for Belgium’s government, a four-party coalition of Flemish nationalists, liberals and Christian Democrats that came into office in October 2014 after five months of negotiations.
Belgian politicians are worried about damaging relations with Madrid, and some opposition politicians have accused Michel of failing to discipline his outspoken minister. “The international credibility of Belgium is at stake,” said former prime minister Elio Di Rupo. Belgian politicians are worried about damaging relations with Madrid. Some opposition politicians have accused Michel of failing to discipline the immigration minister, Theo Francken, a leading member of the Flemish separatist N-VA party who appeared to lay down the welcome mat for Puigdemont when he told local media at the weekend: “If the Catalans demand asylum, Belgian law permits it.”
Last Friday Catalonia’s regional parliament voted to declare independence, prompting Spain’s prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, to take the unprecedented step of using article 155 of the constitution to sack Puigdemont and his government and impose direct rule. Puigdemont seemed sensitive to the tensions, telling journalists he had had no contact with the N-VA. “This is not a matter of the Belgian politics,” he said. “I am here in Brussels as the capital of Europe.”
As well as taking control of the region’s civil service, police and finances, Rajoy has used the article to call elections in Catalonia to be held on 21 December. The EU has said the Catalan referendum was illegal and that it will only deal with Spain’s central government in Madrid.
Puigdemont said on Tuesday that he accepted the challenge of those elections “with all our strength” and that Catalan nationalists would vote. Spain wants Catalonia “to abandon our political project, and they won’t achieve it”, he said. Puigdemont said he accepted the challenge of the December elections “with all our strength”, erasing fears that secessionists might boycott the ballot in the hope of denying it legitimacy. Spain wants Catalonia “to abandon our political project, and they won’t achieve it,” he said.
He blamed Madrid for the impasse, pinpointing the start of the crisis to the heavy-handed police response to the referendum he organised in defiance of Spanish law. “The chaos started on 1 October with violence on the Spanish side,” he said.He blamed Madrid for the impasse, pinpointing the start of the crisis to the heavy-handed police response to the referendum he organised in defiance of Spanish law. “The chaos started on 1 October with violence on the Spanish side,” he said.