Former Catalan regional president Carles Puigdemont reported to Belgian justice authorities in Brussels. The Spanish Supreme Court on Monday once again issued a European arrest warrant for him due to his role in the illegal referendum in Catalonia in 2017. In that referendum, the population voted in favor of independence.
Brussels has already received a European request from Madrid for the third time to quickly extradite Puigdemont. The previous two attempts, in 2017 and 2018, failed due to legal disputes, including over the conditions of extradition.
Puigdemont rejects the arrest warrant and opposes efforts to extradite him. He is allowed to await a Belgian judge's decision on this while free but may not leave Belgium without court permission.
Puigdemont fled to Belgium in October 2017 after Spanish justice summoned him to appear in court for organizing the referendum and attempting secession. On Monday, the Spanish Supreme Court handed down lengthy prison sentences to Puigdemont’s supporters for their role in the referendum.
Spain has long tried to imprison the Catalan politicians. Last year, he was detained in Germany at Spain’s request, partly because he was suspected of rebellion in Spain. Since extradition on the basis of that suspicion is not possible in Germany, Spain had to withdraw the request. Puigdemont returned to Belgium and founded a new Catalan independence movement there.
After the conviction of Puigdemont’s supporters this past Monday, serious unrest broke out in Catalonia. Trade unions called for a strike. Public life in Catalonia is again disrupted by strikes from two unions. They are trying to bring life to a standstill as much as possible. In recent days, thousands of people took to the streets in the cities of Barcelona, Girona, and Tarragona. The demonstrations often led to clashes with the police.