Catalonia: the European Parliament lifts the immunity of the independentist Carles Puigdemont
Carles Puigdemont during a press conference, October 9, 2020, in Perpignan.
Raymond Roig AFP / Archivos
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
On March 9, the European Parliament voted to lift the immunity of three Catalan independence MEPs, including the former president of this region, Carles Puigdemont, claimed by Spain for the 2017 secession attempt.
Publicity
Read more
The measure was approved by 400 elected officials against 248 and 45 abstentions after a secret ballot vote opened on the evening of March 8, said the European Parliament.
Elected to the European Parliament in May 2019, Carles Puigdemont and his former "ministers" Toni Comin and Clara Ponsati are being prosecuted in Spain for the organization in 2017 of an independence referendum banned in Catalonia.
A lifting of the immunity of MEPs paves the way for a new examination by the Belgian courts of extradition requests issued by Spain against Carles Puigdemont and Toni Comin.
These two men have been
living in Belgium since 2017 to escape Spanish prosecution.
For Clara Ponsati, the judicial authorities in Scotland, where she lived, had also suspended this examination, pending the decision of MEPs.
"
Political
" procedure
The three MEPs, prosecuted for "sedition" and in the case of Carles Puigdemont and Toni Comin also for "embezzlement of public funds", announced that they would seize the Court of Justice of the European Union in case of lifting of their immunity.
They believe that the Spanish Supreme Court is not competent for such a request.
They also denounced the "
political nature
" of the proceedings against them.
Several former Catalan leaders who remained in their country, such as Oriol Junqueras, former vice-president of the regional government of Carles Puigdemont, are currently serving heavy prison sentences in Spain for the organization of the referendum.
Also elected MEP, Oriol Junqueras had his mandate withdrawn in January 2020 after his conviction.
The Catalan separatists, despite their divisions,
emerged strengthened from the last regional elections in mid-February
, and have all the cards in hand to remain at the head of the rich region of 7.8 million inhabitants.
► To read also: Catalonia: what can Carles Puigdemont hope for from his exile in Belgium?
(With AFP)
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Spain
Catalonia
On the same subject
Catalonia: separatists strengthen their majority in regional parliament
Catalonia / Belgium
Catalan independence MEP Puigdemont obtains parliamentary immunity
Former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont received as a rockstar in Perpignan