Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont, who is living in exile in Belgium, wants to gain legal access to the European Parliament in Strasbourg. „We will go our way to enforce our rights. And we will win, „said Puigdemont yesterday in Hamburg before an event with the German Bundestag member of the Left, Zaklin Nastic.
Puigdemont had won a seat in the Strasbourg parliament in the European elections, but a first access to him and another deputy had been denied, as the politician explained. He was confident that he would attend parliament’s inaugural session in early July. He did not mention details about his further course of action.
„Europe must accept voter decisions“
The separatist chief was the leading candidate of the JuntsxCat / LLiures Europe Alliance (United for Catalonia / Free for Europe), which gained 4.64 percent across Spain and won two seats. Europe must respect the voters and their voters and their decisions, warned the exiled politician. „European democracy is put to the test if the will of the people rules,“ said Puigdemont.
According to Spanish suffrage, all elected MEPs must swear on the constitution before taking office in Madrid. Arriving in Spain, ex-journalists would face arrest, rebellion and up to 30 years in prison. Puigdemont had stated that it wished to challenge the requirement of Spanish electoral law to the European Court of Justice (ECJ).
