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Catalonia's ex-president Puigdemont: I'm not in Belgium to seek asylum Catalonia crisis: deposed leader Puigdemont says he'll respect elections
(about 1 hour later)
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. Catalonia’s deposed president, Carles Puigdemont, has promised to respect the results of December’s snap regional elections and said he would leave Belgium and return home immediately if a fair judicial process were guaranteed in Spain.
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. Puigdemont, who could face charges of rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds over his administration’s push for independence, travelled to Brussels hours before Spain’s attorney general announced the possible charges on Monday.
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. Addressing a packed press conference on Tuesday, the ousted leader 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.
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. However, in a possible sign that Madrid has gained the upper hand in the dispute, Puigdemont also said he would abide by the results of the snap regional elections on 21 December, called by the Spanish prime minister, Mariano Rajoy.
Puigdemont said he accepted the challenge of the elections “with all our strength”, dispelling 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.
The poll date was set last Friday when Rajoy stepped in to take control of the region and sack Puigdemont and his administration in an attempt to restore legal and constitutional order following the unilateral independence referendum and subsequent declaration of independence in the Catalan parliament.
Puigdemont had previously called on Catalans to resist the central government’s “repression and threats”, while his deputy described Rajoy’s unprecedented use of article 155 of the constitution as a “coup d’état against Catalonia”.
The Catalan leader’s appearance in Brussels, flanked by five of his ousted regional chiefs, marked a further twist in the month-long crisis triggered by the 1 October referendum.
It also coincided with a regional poll that showed that support for an independent Catalan republic had risen to an almost three-year high in October, with 48.7% of Catalans believe the region should be independent, up from 41.1% in June.
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.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.
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 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.
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.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.
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. Shortly before Puigdemont’s press conference, Spain’s constitutional court announced that it was suspending last Friday’s unilateral declaration of independence, 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.
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. 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 the next day.
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.”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.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.”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.”
Guy Verhofstadt, a former Belgian prime minister, mocked the Catalan separatist leader, when he said internet memes comparing Puigdemont to cartoon detective Tintin were inadequate. “Tintin always finds solutions to the adventures he encounters, while Puigdemont left Catalonia in chaos and devastation.”
Puigdemont’s dramatic arrival in Brussels prompted a slew of internet memes, comparing him to Belgian cultural icons, including Tintin and the Manneken Pis, “the peeing boy” statue in Brussels.
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. 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.”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.”
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.” 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.
The EU has said the Catalan referendum was illegal and that it will only deal with Spain’s central government in Madrid.The EU has said the Catalan referendum was illegal and that it will only deal with Spain’s central government in Madrid.
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. Puigdemont blamed Madrid for the impasse, saying the crisis had been sparked by the Spanish police’s heavy-handed attempts to stop the referendum.
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. “The chaos started on 1 October with violence on the Spanish side,” he said.
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.”