Catalan president in Brussels say reports
Media outlets report that Carles Puigdemont and some of his ministers are in Belgium although vice president remains in Barcelona
Ousted Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, is not to be found in Barcelona, or even Madrid, but in Brussels, if reports in the Spanish media are to be believed. On the day when the state attorney general began proceedings to charge the Catalan government and parliamentary bureau with rebellion, sedition and other offenses, sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed that the former president is in the Belgian capital.
With Puigdemont are ministers Joaquim Forn, Meritxell Borràs, Antoni Comín and Dolors Bassa, according to La Sexta television channel. However, former Catalan vice president, Oriol Junqueras, remained in Barcelona and even visited his office on Monday afternoon. Meanwhile, territory minister, Josep Rull, also went to work as usual on Monday, tweeting that he would continue to do the job that the people of Catalonia have entrusted to him.
“Exiled Republic”
One explanation given in the media for why Puigdemont and his ministers are in Brussels is so that they can ask for asylum. While neither the authorities in Belgium or in Spain have confirmed that this is the case, Together for Yes MP and singer, Lluís Llach on Twitter made a reference to the “exiled Republic” reflecting badly on the Spanish authorities.
What’s more, this weekend the Belgian asylum and immigration minister, Theo Francken, offered Puigdemont asylum, which he described as “not unrealistic”. He was later reprimanded by Belgian PM, Charles Michel, who asked him “not to fan the flames”. The People’s Party spokesman in Europe also criticized Francken.
Puigdemont began Monday with an Instagram picture of the inside of the Catalan government headquarters and the greeting “Good morning”. It seems, however, that Puigdemont was already on his way to Brussels rather than in Barcelona. However, the head of the president’s PDeCAT party, Marta Pascal, refused to confirm his whereabouts.
December 21 election
Yet, it is not only Puigdemont’s whereabouts that are unclear, as no one is sure what the president will do next. His PDeCAT party has confirmed it will be taking part in the election called by Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy on December 21, and Puigdemont would be eligible to stand. However, in an official statement over the weekend, Puigdemont said he still intended to build an independent country and called on Catalans to oppose Madrid's rule in a democratic, peaceful fashion.