Belgium 'to study' Spain's EU arrest warrant for Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont
By AFP | Published: 04th November 2017 01:53 AM |
Last Updated: 04th November 2017 10:27 AM | A+A A- |
Carles Puigdemont (Photo | AP)
BRUSSELS: Brussels will "study" a EU arrest warrant issued by Spain for Catalonia's deposed leader, who is currently in Belgium, a spokesman for the country's state prosecutor has said.
"We're going to study it and then give it to a judge," Eric Van der Sijpt told AFP.
A Spanish judge issued a warrant for deposed Catalan president Carles Puigdemont yesterday after he failed to attend a court summons over his role in his region's push to split from Spain.
Some ministers in Puigdemont's former cabinet are also in Belgium and subject to the warrant.
Puigdemont and his ministers must now appear in front of a Belgian judge within 24 hours, where they will be read the charges against them.
The ousted regional leader, who says Catalonia has earned the right to declare independence from Spain following a disputed referendum last month, said yesterday he is willing to cooperate with Belgian authorities.
