Catalonia's regional Parliament declared independence from Spain on Friday, 27 October, in a disputed vote that is now likely to be declared illegal by Spain's Constitutional Court.
- Catalonia’s regional Parliament declared independence from Spain
- Spain dissolved the Catalonia Government
- Spain’s State Prosecutor called for charges of sedition, rebellion, and fraud against Catalan leader Puigdemont
- Spanish PM Rajoy said regional elections will be held on 21 December
- The European Union said the declaration changes nothing and it will only speak of Spain
Arrest Warrant Against Puigdemont a Day After He Failed to Appear for Questioning
A Spanish judge has issued an EU arrest warrant for Catalonia's deposed separatist leader a day after he failed to appear for questioning over his role in the region's tumultuous independence drive.
Spanish prosecutors want to charge Carles Puigdemont, who is holed up in Belgium, with rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds. Yesterday, the 54-year-old ignored a summons to appear before the same judge in Madrid.
An EU arrest warrant was also issued for four Catalan ministers who also failed to show up and are also thought to be in Belgium. They, like Puigdemont, were dismissed by Spain's central government a week ago, a court statement said.
Spain Seeks Sedition, Rebellion Charges Against Catalan Leader Puigdemont
Spain's State Prosecutor called for charges of rebellion, sedition, fraud, and misuse of funds against Catalan leader Puigdemont. Spanish Attorney General Jose Manuel Maza called for charges to be brought against Catalan leaders who organised what Spain has termed an “illegal referendum on independence from Spain.”
Spaniards March in Unity in Barcelona
Hundreds of thousands of Spaniards rallied in Catalonia's capital Barcelona on 29 October, waving national and European flags and chanting "Viva Espana!" to denounce regional lawmakers' vote to sever the region from Spain.
Crowds of protesters swarmed, singing and clapping, through Barcelona's streets in a sea of red-and-yellow Spanish flags, brandishing placards reading "De Todos" (It belongs to all of us).
Municipal police said the crowd numbered about 300,000 while organisers said 1.3 million turned out and the central government's representative in Catalonia put the figure at one million.
Puidgemont Calls for Peaceful "Democratic Opposition" to Spain's Takeover
Sacked Catalonian President Charles Puidgemont has called for peaceful “democratic opposition” to the central government’s takeover of the region.
Puigdemont accused Madrid of "premeditated aggression" against the will of the Catalans.
"It's very clear that the best form of defending the gains made up until now is democratic opposition to Article 155," Puigdemont said in a brief statement he read out in the Catalan city of Girona, referring to the legal trigger for the takeover.
But he was vague on precisely what steps the secessionists would take as the national authorities are already moving into Barcelona and other parts of Catalonia to enforce control.
Spanish government spokesman Inigo Mendez de Vigo said they would welcome Puigdemont's participation in the regional elections it has called for 21 December.
"I'm quite sure that if Puigdemont takes part in these elections, he can exercise this democratic opposition," Mendez de Vigo told Reuters TV in an interview.
The Madrid government also sacked the Mossos' chief, Josep Lluis Trapero. He had become a hero to the secessionists after his force took a much softer stance than national police in enforcing the referendum ban.
Spain's High Court has alleged Trapero of sedition and barred him from leaving the country and seized his passport as part of the investigation, although it has not ordered his arrest.