Home News

No decision yet on Catalan politicians

No decision has yet been made on the fate of the deposed Catalan Prime Minister Carles Puigdemont and four of his ministers who are all currently residing in Belgium.The Spanish authorities issued a European arrest warrant for the Catalan politicians. The was a great deal of interest from the international media The Pre-Trial Chamber at Court in Brussels.

However, no ruling was made at today’s hearing. The Public Prosecutor demanded the European arrest warrant be exercised.

The case for Mr Puigdemont's defence will be made at a hearing early next month.

"We will make our case on December 4. The prosecutor has asked for the extradition warrant to be exercised. Nothing has been decided today," Paul Bekaert told reporters outside the Brussels court building.

“The prosecutor had determined that according to Belgian law Puigdemont and four of his former ministers who travelled with him to Brussels were charged with conspiracy by public officials”, Mr Bekaert added.

Under the Spanish warrant, all five Catalans faced charges of rebellion and sedition. They had left Spain after Puigdemont's regional government was sacked by Madrid for unilaterally declaring Catalonia independent following a referendum on secession that court authorities in Madrid had ruled was illegal.

 

Top stories