Spain issues warrant for deposed Catalonia leader

Barcelona: Catalonia’s deposed leader Carles Puigdemont called on Saturday for separatists to unite in a December election called by Spain to try to avert a disputed push for the region’s independence.

Mr Puigdemont’s rallying cry came a day after a Spanish judge issued an arrest warrant against him, with prosecutors seeking to charge him with rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds over his secessionist drive.

“The time has come for all democrats to unite. For Catalonia, for the release of political prisoners and for the republic,” he said on Twitter.

The 54-year-old has been holed up in Belgium since Monday and ignored a summons to appear before the judge in Madrid, saying that he wanted guarantees that he would receive a fair trial.

The judge issued the European arrest warrants late on Friday for Mr Puigdemont and four of his allies who are also in Belgium, to force them to return to Spain.

The Belgian public prosecutor’s office confirmed on Saturday that it had received the warrants, saying a decision would happen within 24 hours of them appearing before a judge. But the authorities said that any appeals process could last for up to three months. “The EU Framework Decision provides that the final decision must be taken within 60 days, with an extension to 90 days under exceptional circumstances,” the Belgian justice ministry said in a statement.

The warrants have further fuelled separatists’ anger and frustration after deposed members of Mr Puigdemont’s government who did not flee to Belgium, including his deputy, appeared before a Spanish judge on Thursday and were detained pending a possible trial.

Protesters in the wealthy northeastern Catalonia region have held frequent demonstrations, chanting and waving Catalan flags, calling for their release.

The central government responded by dismissing Mr Puigdemont’s executive, imposing direct rule and calling fresh Catalonia elections on December 21.