Catalan

Puigdemont accuses EU of not defending rights in Catalonia

Copenhagen - Muslimchronicle

Catalonia's sacked president Carles Puigdemont on Monday, January 22, repeated accusations that the European Union is failing to defend fundamental rights in the wealthy Spanish region. During his first foreign visit since leaving Spain to live in voluntary exile in Brussels on 30 October, Puigdemont told students at the University of Copenhagen the EU showed "failures" in the face of crisesRead more

Sacked Catalan leader vows to form new government despite Spain 'threats'

Copenhagen - Muslimchronicle

Ousted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont on Monday vowed to form a new government despite "threats" from the central government in Madrid, after a Spanish judge refused to re-issue a European warrant for his arrest. Speaking at a debate on Catalonia at the University of Copenhagen, Puigdemont said: "We will not surrender to authoritarianism despite Madrid's threats." "Soon we will formRead more

Spanish judge refuses to re-issue EU warrant for Puigdemont

Madrid - Muslimchronicle

A Spanish judge on Monday refused to re-issue a European arrest warrant for ousted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont as requested by prosecutors for his role in the region's independence drive. The ruling from Supreme Court judge Pablo Llarena came shortly after the speaker of the Catalan parliament proposed Puigdemont's candidacy to once again head Catalonia's regional government. source: AFPRead more

Catalan parliament speaker proposes Puigdemont as region's president

Barcelona - Muslimchronicle

The speaker of the Catalan parliament on Monday proposed the region's ousted leader Carles Puigdemont as president of Catalonia following an election in December in which separatist parties once again won an absolute majority. Roger Torrent said Puigdemont's candidacy to once again head Catalonia's regional government is "absolutely legitimate", even though the secessionist leader faces criminal proceedings over his roleRead more

Spain wants exiled ex-Catalan leader arrested if he travels to Denmark

Madrid - Muslimchronicle

Spain wants ex-Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont arrested if he travels to Denmark for a university debate from his Belgian exile, the Spanish prosecution service said Sunday. The prosecution service said it would "immediately" have a supreme court judge issue an arrest warrant for the secessionist leader, sacked by Madrid after the Catalan parliament declared independence on October 27, and urge DenmarkRead more

Ex-Catalan leader says can govern region from Belgium

Barcelona - Muslimchronicle

Catalonia's former leader Carles Puigdemont, who was sacked by Madrid over his attempt to break from Spain, said Friday he can govern the region from Belgium as he eyes a comeback after scoring big in elections. "There are only two options: in prison I would not be able to address people, write, meet people... The only way is to continueRead more

Catalan MPs elect separatist speaker

Barcelona - Muslimchronicle

Catalan MPs in Barcelona have elected a pro-independence speaker at their first meeting since Madrid dissolved the region's parliament. The choice of Roger Torrent is the first step to reinstating local government. Separatist parties, who remain dominant after December's election, want Carles Puigdemont to be president again. But the ex-leader risks arrest if he returns from self-imposed exile in Belgium. He is wanted byRead more

Catalan lawmakers elect separatist as parliamentary speaker

Barcelona - Muslimchronicle

Catalan lawmakers on Wednesday elected a separatist as parliamentary speaker, a first step in a plan by pro-independence deputies to get regional leader Carles Puigdemont, in self-exile in Belgium, back into power. A member of the left-wing ERC party, Roger Torrent was elected with 65 votes against 56 for an anti-independence candidate in an assembly where eight seats were empty,Read more

Catalan parliament meets for first time since failed secession

Barcelona - Muslimchronicle

Catalonia's parliament met Wednesday for the first time since it was dissolved following a failed attempt to break from Spain in what will see separatists start the process to get sacked regional leader Carles Puigdemont back into power. Pro-independence parties are in the majority in the assembly after winning regional elections on December 21 called by Prime Minister Mariano RajoyRead more

Puigdemont mulls whether to return

Barcelona - Muslimchronicle

Ousted Catalan president Carles Puigdemont was weighing up whether to return to the region, where he faces arrest, close aides said on Saturday (Dec 23), after pro-independence parties defeated Spain's central government in pivotal elections. Puigdemont campaigned from Brussels, where he sought self-imposed exile after he was sacked by Madrid and a Spanish court charged him with rebellion, sedition and misuse ofRead more